The 4th and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary School in Missoula are Running & Walking Across America With A Superintendent, A Bear and The Army!

Motivating 95 elementary students to virtually cross the entire continent on foot within one school year can certainly be a challenge. Some recent encouragement and support from a superintendent, a bear, and the U.S. Army should help!

The 4th and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary School in Missoula are continuing their virtual Run/Walk Across America trek that is taking them 3,200 miles across 14 states this school year. Currently, the 4th grade class has completed 603 miles and are ahead of the scheduled pace, while the 5th grade has 534 miles in their footsteps. Both classes are in Idaho and are nearing the Montana border.

During the month of October the students had visits from Dr. Jim Clark, Superintendent of Missoula County Public Schools, as well as "Monte", the popular University of Montana mascot. The students ran and walked with Dr. Clark and Monte during two separate visits and are nearing the 20% completion point of the journey. They will reach Missoula within the next 7 to 10 days.

Also encouraging the students are 20 U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Iraq. Soldier Aaron Lohr learned of the students’ trek via an online Missoulian newspaper article and contacted the curriculum organizers, Paul and Vicki Staso. Mr. Lohr requested for he and 19 other soldiers to run/walk along with the students – acting as a "parade security" across the United States. The soldiers get together each week to acquire the same number of miles as the students to virtually keep pace with them.

Mr. Lohr, who grew up in Missoula, will pay a visit to the students next spring to run and walk with them at the school. More details about the soldiers’ involvement, as well as pictures and an opportunity to encourage the soldiers, can be found at http://www.seeusrun.com (click on the "U.S. Army" link).

Physical education instructors around the United States have contacted Paul and Vicki Staso for more information on how they can set up a similar "virtual trek" at their school. Such inquiries have recently been received from Oregon, New Jersey and Florida. The organizers say that based on the number of daily visitors to the http://www.seeusrun.com web site, interest in the program is steadily growing. Russell Elementary School’s 4th and 5th graders truly have an audience along the roadways of America.

Previous Updates:

Russell Elementary students find inspiration in running competition, virtual travel – "Run Russell, Run!" http://www.matr.net/article-16243.html

The 4th and 5th grade students at Russell Elementary School in Missoula, Montana, are on a journey of a lifetime. http://www.matr.net/article-15963.html