Olympic Spirit Still Burns at Preschool in Northridge

The Olympic flame may have been extinguished in Atlanta, but for a group of preschoolers it still burns brightly--at least in spirit.

Heading into the final session of a seven-week summer program saluting the Olympic Games and the cultures of the world, Temple Ramat Zion’s nursery school in Northridge spent Monday morning staging Olympic-like games.

Although the events bore little resemblance to traditional contests, similarities existed, such as the Atlanta-like heat and chaos. But the more than three dozen children didn’t seem to mind.

“Are you strong?” nursery school Director Judy Glick asked the amateur Olympians before the games began. “Do you have courage? Are you brave?” Each question was met with a hearty “Yeah!”

“Then you’re ready,” Glick said.

Staged in a quick 20 minutes, the competitions included basketball shooting, a tricycle race, a foot race weaving through orange cones and a mostly make-believe breaststroke across a lawn.

“This is a pretend swim,” said parent volunteer Shari Sherman. “There’s no real water today.”