More than 200 students from eight local elementary schools competed at the fifth annual All-Santa Barbara Unified School District Elementary Schools Track & Field Meet at the Westmont track on Tuesday.
Roosevelt, McKinley, Adams, Cleveland, Franklin, Monroe, Harding and Washington Elementary battled for local bragging rights, competing in about a dozen events. Washington School took first place with 185 points, Adams was second with 127 and Roosevelt came in third with 121.
Westmont track and field athletes, who are competing at the Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., May 25-27, timed and measured the events. Recent graduates Becky Collier (social innovation and entrepreneurship) and Noelle Crosby (economics and business) directed the meet.
The was started under the leadership of Westmont alumna and Adams Elementary School principal Amy (Bergenske) Alzina and Westmont head track and field coach Russell Smelley.
“Russell and I started this event five years ago with the goals of exposing our students to the sport of track and field and a college experience,” Alzina said. “We are extremely grateful for this ongoing partnership.”
Following the meet, the athletes toured the campus before eating lunch in the Westmont Dining Commons.
Alzina, who became the youngest principal in Santa Barbara School District history at 29, competed on the Westmont cross country and track and field teams before graduating in 1998. She’ll be returning to her old stomping grounds as she was approved to be the new superintendent/principal at Cold Springs School. The school is located down the street from Westmont.