Congratulations to Rangeley Lakes Regional School (RLRS) pre-K through 8th grade students for coming in 3rd place in the 6th Annual WinterKids Winter Games! The bronze prize consisted of $1500 as well as some stylish WinterKids swag.

A total of 16 schools and approximately 3000 children joined in the competition that encourages a healthy lifestyle in the heart of winter.

This is the fourth year that RLRS has joined in the competition which consists of four weeks of outdoor recreation and education that are broken up into categories that focus on physical activity, nutrition, family and fun.

According to physical education and health teacher Lindsay Richards, students have now begun to look forward to this annual event where they enjoy one form of alternative education. Fortunately, living here, students have a range of activities and locations to choose from.

With the help of WinterKids and their sponsors they also get weekly incentives which this year included pedometer watches, health journals, mini frisbee discs, and reusable smoothie cups.

This year Richards coordinated a slew of activities that through the power of new experiences and healthy competition get them excited about areas of interest they might not otherwise be privy to.

This year’s overall WinterKids theme was “Wild Winter”. The first week focused on outdoor physical activity so students went snowshoeing, had a snowball toss, and enjoyed relay races and sledding. Week two focused on nutrition so for example, the students participated in making smoothies and went outside and learned about what animals find to eat in the wilderness in order to survive. Week three involved family engagement, so family members were invited to go skating on Haley Pond or join in a bingo-oriented game that meant that in order to fulfill the bingo card blocks, certain group activities needed to be completed such as building a snowman or shoveling a neighbor’s deck. Week four had a festive winter carnival theme. Richards recalled, “That was the week we did the ice fishing, we did a snowshoe relay race, we did a sledding distance race, we did a dress like yeti competition”. Every week they also did something called a “Friendship Friday,” where they did things like coordinate a clothing drive.

After assembling the students, Richards gives the students the good news.

While it must have taken a lot of work to coordinate, especially around regular school activities and responsibilities, Richards characteristically took it in stride. Said Richards, “It was awesome. It’s so much fun. It gets us out, it gets us motivated to do things.” She added “Rangeley offers so much stuff and the kids don’t even know about it.”

Well thanks to WinterKids and their sponsors, Lindsay Richards, the staff at RLRS, the support of local organizations such as the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, the Rangeley Skating Club, Rangeley Lakes Trails Center, Rangeley Adventure Company, Classic Provisions, Blue Flame and Maine game wardens, thankfully, now they do!