Ryukyu Middle School hosts epic makeup Field Day with support from military volunteers
OKINAWA, Japan — Ryukyu Middle School students celebrated a day of sports, creativity, and community camaraderie during their rescheduled school field day on Friday, May 15. The event was originally slated to take place in April as part of the Month of the Military Child celebrations but had to be postponed after being rained out.
The high-energy day kicked off with an incredible opening performance by the Ryukyu Middle School drum line, setting an enthusiastic tone for the events to follow. From there, students jumped into a diverse "choose-your-own-adventure" itinerary. Activities ranged from high-energy sports like flag football, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, basketball, and gaga ball, to leisure options including cornhole, art creation, board and computer games, and reading under the shade of trees. The variety resonated well with the student body.
"The basketball was my favorite activity because my team won," shared sixth grader Piper Cook.
The day reached its peak with a highly anticipated seminar-vs-seminar Tug-of-War tournament.
"The excitement of the tug of war was so much fun," noted sixth grader Jaycee Moriyama.
After fierce competition among the student body, Mr. Golden’s seminar class emerged victorious, earning the ultimate reward: a final showdown against a powerhouse joint-service military team. The volunteer group was comprised of airmen from the 67th Fighter Generation Squadron (67 FGS MXAQW) and Marines from the 3rd Maintenance Battalion, Regional Maintenance Operations Component-North (RMOC-North). While the military members ultimately reigned supreme against the student champions, they faced a surprise upset when the Ryukyu Middle School faculty stepped up to the rope, securing a hard-fought victory for the teachers.
The successful event was made possible through the combined efforts of the school staff, military partners, and families. Ryukyu Middle School extends its sincere appreciation to Mr. Cateriny for coordinating the day's logistics, the dedicated military volunteers for their time and spirit, and the school’s PTO parents who volunteered to support the event and provided lunch for the service members.
