On Wednesday, May 24, more than 150 Orange elementary school students competed in the 17th Annual “Orange Elementary School Olympic Festival,” at the Orange Fairgrounds.
Athletes must qualify in order to compete against their peers from the three Orange elementary schools in one or more of the seven festival events.
Founded in 2006 by local doctor Jim Ronai whose children (now college grads) were attending an Orange elementary school. One of the program’s goals is to allow children to display their athletic talents in a school-affiliated venue. The goal was for these children will associate this positive experience with their 
academic experience, creating feelings of confidence and pride in their work, thus producing the foundation for the development of true student-athletes.
Each team wore a different color, Blue, Red, Yellow, Green. All teams included fifth and sixth-grade members from different schools so it wasn’t a competition between the schools, rather the athletes doing their very best to win a medal.
Medals were awarded to the first, second, and third-place winners. and the first-place winner also brought home an official Olympic Jacket.
It’s fascinating to me that even after all these years, some residents are unaware of the festival. One elderly woman who frequented the walking track at High Plains took a seat on one of the park benches and watched the awards ceremony, delighted with the official Olympic music and the happiness on the athletes’ faces as they went up to receive their medals.
“This is wonderful,” she said after I explained the history of the event. “I’m so happy they have this opportunity. It’s good for them.”
(Photos courtesy of Tricia Lasto)
