LAGUNA HILLS : Junior Olympians Have a Field Day

In one of the most eagerly awaited days of the year, about 650 children at San Joaquin Elementary School participated Friday in the campus’s 12th annual Junior Olympics.

From relay races to jump-rope and sit-up contests, the students in grades one through six, including those in special education classes, spent the day on the playing field, all in the name of health and fitness. On Thursday, the kindergartners had their own Olympic events.

“It is the culmination for the PE and health activities they’ve been doing all year,” Principal Kathleen Wright said.

The program is the biggest of its type in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District and involved the volunteer efforts of more than 60 parents and Leisure World residents, Wright said.

This year, during opening ceremonies, in which each class represented a different country, students were even able to carry an authentic Olympic torch, one carried by a parent in Greece years ago.

Every student who participated received a ribbon at the end of the day.

“It introduces many of the kids to a lot of things they’ve never done before,” said Maggie Baumann, a parent who helped organize the day’s events.

For many students, like fifth-graders Amy Tracey, Amber Gallis, Joseph Castro, Kris Hartmann and Brian Uiga, the Junior Olympics is something they look forward to all year.

“You don’t have to do any (school) work, and I like to do a whole bunch of sports,” said Amber.