Even though it’s an event for the younger TBS students, the Middle School gets involved with The Lower School Olympics each year. During the opening ceremonies, a trio of seventh graders – Olivia Cornett, Briley Crisafi, and Grace Myers – sang the national anthem. In addition, the Middle School Performance Ensemble, under the director of Band Director Bruce Huber and Strings Director Mr. Andrew Winters, played several songs while parents and students gathered around the field prior to the games. Their performance culminated with John Williams’ “Theme from Jurassic Park” during the torch-bearing ceremony.

The entire middle school student body also took to the bleachers to watch the opening ceremonies. This year, Student Services Counselor Ms. Danielle Benvenuto paired each middle school advisory with a lower school classroom, so the middle school students made personalized signs for some of the countries the lower school classes represented.

The Olympics is one of Benjamin’s signature events and allows every single student in grades one through five a chance to participate. This year the twenty-sixth TBS Olympiad, held on February 4, featured everything from races and hurdles to football tosses and ultimate frisbee.

Every student in grades one through five signed up for their favorite events in physical education (PE) class. Once the students were told what events they were participating in, they started practicing those events in PE.

Organized by lower school physical education instructors Mr. Riordan Cheatham and Ms. Jaclyn Filia, the Olympics is one of the days that all Lower School students look forward to. And, even though the Middle School students don’t participate, they enjoy watching the games as well.

“Personally, I like to watch the Olympics because I have been through the Olympics,” explained seventh grader Molly Fried “I know how much fun it is for the Lower School, and I enjoy watching the different events throughout the day.”

Cheatham organizes the events, creating a complex matrix of when and where they will take place.

“Each homeroom gets sixteen events,” he explained. “Ultimate frisbee is always really hyped up, and that is one of my favorite events. We added spikeball for the fourth and fifth grade as well. So many great people help with the Olympics and lots of hands make less work.

The Olympics is an amazing day. Whether they are playing or just watching, students and teachers alike enjoy it, even though it is a lot of work. The events are scored by having a first, second, and third place winner. First place overall gets ten points, second place gets eight points, and third place gets six points. Thailand, Mrs. Canese’s first-grade class, was the overall winner of this year’s competition which was announced at lower school line up the following day.