Journal Entry For May 14 - May 20, 2006

Missoula, Montana Weather Conditions: Record Breaking Temperatures!! Highs in the low 90s!! Super Weather!

4th Grade Distance Completed This Week: On May 16, 2006 they completed the trek across America!

4th Graders' Location and Total Distance: Cape Henlopen, Delaware [3,200 miles - THEY'RE DONE!]

5th Grade Distance Completed This Week: On April 25, 2006 they completed the trek across America!

5th Graders' Location and Total Distance: Cape Henlopen, Delaware [3,200 miles - THEY'RE DONE!]

Quote To Think About: "To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can."
    (Theodore Roosevelt)

This journal entry was written May 20. IT'S ALL OVER! This week the 4th grade class completed their virtual running and walking trek across America, finishing the journey 3 weeks after the 5th grade class reached Delaware... and three weeks before the end of the school year! Way to go 4th Grade!!

If you haven't yet read the story of the 4th grade's finish, please click here! We also have some photo gallery pictures from their finish that you don't want to miss!

On September 7, 2005 the students virtually set out from Cannon Beach, Oregon to cross the United States. Now that they have accomplished their goal before the end of the school year, Paul Staso will now set out on foot from Cannon Beach to fulfill the promise he made to them on the first day of their virtual journey. His aim is to try and complete a 92-day, 3,200-mile solo trek across the United States on the route that the students virtually traveled. Yes, he will be making an "actual" run across America. His trek is called P.A.C.E. Run 2006 and all of the details can be found at www.pacerun.com. His journey begins Friday, June 23, 2006 and he will not have a support crew of any kind. He will be traveling completely alone across the United States. Only a few people have ever set out on such a journey, and he will do his best to complete the trek. During his trip he will be providing daily updates in the Journal section of the pacerun.com web site, so please follow his progress throughout the summer.

We truly appreciate each and every person who has followed the students' amazing journey this year. There are so many people who worked to make the Run/Walk Across America a success. We've been touched by the kind notes received and by the support of those individuals and businesses that believed in this project. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Today is yesterday's pupil." By that statement he was expressing that we are daily learning from the path we're following in life. We, as organizers, may never know the precise effect this Run/Walk Across America 'path' had on these students... or the thousands of people who visited this web site throughout the 2005-2006 school year. We can only hope that it planted a positive seed in the lives of those it touched... and that it will be something that continues to teach people in the tomorrows ahead.

Remember... you only have your body for a limited time. Take care of it, because you never know where it could take you!

We are so proud of each student that was involved in this year's Run/Walk Across America program. All of you did an awesome job and now you will always have this memory of virtually crossing the continent. It is our hope that you learned something about yourself and that you developed greater fitness and a stronger desire to be more conscious of your health. You have inspired many people through your efforts and you need to know that your steps not only impacted your own lives, but those of children, teachers, parents, and others nationwide. This web site will remain online as an example to other educators of how to organize a virtual running/walking curriculum. During the course of this year several schools around the country have adopted our curriculum and are "virtually" trekking to various locations. We are thrilled at the ripple effect our little curriculum stone has caused in the pond of physical education. However, regardless of how "successful" the program was, it is YOU... the students... who are to be congratulated. Even though we kept track of the 4th and 5th grades' progress separately, when combining the efforts of both classes you took 13,440,000 steps... traveling 6,400 miles. When examining those statistics in light of the number of students involved in the program (97 kids), that averages out to be 66 miles per student, or the equivalent of 2½ marathons per child. And you accomplished all of that within 8 months, running and walking in temperatures ranging from below-zero up to 90 degrees. What an amazing feat... or should we say "feet"?! Along the way you received letters of encouragement from governors, senators, world record holders, and so many others - and you gained the attention of the local media on several occasions. You received letters from Canada, Africa, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere. We heard from people who were inspired to get off of their couches and start a walking or running program. Although we never set out to have this program gain such attention, your efforts were truly inspiring and the further you got across the country the more people were touched by your determination and perseverance. In years to come we hope that you'll look back on this and truly realize what you accomplished as a group, and as individuals. We congratulate you and we feel very fortunate to have had an opportunity to be a part of this wonderful project. Keep running and walking and be sure to always look for new goals on the horizon!

Paul and Vicki Staso
Organizers of the Run/Walk Across America
Russell Elementary School
Missoula, Montana
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I guess this is the last encouragement I get to send. If everything goes right, the fourth graders finish today, so EVERYONE IS DONE! You've achieved your goal! Congratulations! Making progress is important, but getting done is the thing that matters. You all did it, and did it together, working as a team. Congratulate each other and thank your co-runners/walkers for their contribution to covering the distance.

Wayne Baker
Westfield, New Jersey
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Great work, and then party in 4f class.

Tyler
Russell Elementary School
Missoula, Montana
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4th and 5th grades at Russell ROCK!!!!! Keep up all the exercise!! Proud of you!!!

Carla Luck
Teacher - Russell Elementary School
Missoula, Montana
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Russell 4th and 5th grade classes of 2005-2006 are in a word AMAZING!!! You all set your mind to achieving the goal that was set and never faltered! 4th grade: You battled back after being behind schedule and even finished ahead of pace. You've proven to yourselves that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen. 5th grade: You got back on track at Christmas and never looked back! You've all made every mile of this trek your own and have shown what remarkable young people you are. While other schools across the nation are trying to keep their students out of trouble, you guys at Russell are proving that there are truly AWESOME kids out there in this world! I'm proud to say I've know most of you since kindergarten and you've grown to wonderful young adults! Each and everyone of you enjoy your summer and KEEP ON WALKING/ RUNNING! Mr. Staso will be through Missoula in July, and we want all of you to escort him into town! YOU GUYS ROCK!!!!

Stacey Rossmiller
Missoula, Montana
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Congratulations to our friends down the hill! You finished the race and should be so very proud of yourselves on a job well done!!

Carla Woehler
Teacher - Chief Charlo Elementary
Missoula, Montana
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Congratulations to All!!!  I am so proud of each and every one of you for your great accomplishment. Now I can see my little brother (Paul Staso) run! You students are a fine example for many others to follow! Once again, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL!

Wendy (Staso) Johnson
Glennallen, Alaska
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YOU DID IT! CONGRATULATIONS! It's remarkable what you can do when you work together as a team. Have you learned anything about fitness from this year? What about eating right? Will any of you keep walking or running this summer? What about next year? (I hope Mrs. Staso asks answers to these questions and for a show of hands of who will be continuing to stay active.)

Wayne Baker
Westfield, New Jersey
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Congratulations to the 4th grade!! It has been so much fun to watch both the 4th and 5th grade do their walk/run across America. What a wonderful job all of you have done. NOW... lets all encourage and watch Paul do his run (pacerun.com). Way to go!

Irene Hiller
Missoula, Montana

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The Following Web Sites May Be Of Interest To You:

KidsHealth.org | PaceRun.com | PElinks4u.org