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School�s 109% effort enough for Pear victory Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell An elated Dayton Turner, 11, center, throws his hands up in celebration of Washington Elementary School�s big win Saturday at the Pear Blossom Festival. Win in fun-run participation means a lot to Washington By Jonel Aleccia Dizzy with victory, the freckle-faced athlete savored a sweet win at Saturday�s Pear Blossom Festival in Medford. "We�ve never gotten first place," crowed Dayton Turner, 11. "This is the best thing in the world!" But the Washington Elementary School fifth-grader � along with dozens of teachers, parents and classmates � wasn�t celebrating fast times or new records. Instead, the west Medford school marked a triumph of a different sort. For the first time, Washington won the Pear Blossom Mayor�s Cup, the award given to the school with the highest participation in two fun runs. "We are very proud of ourselves," said a beaming Stephanie Johnson, the school�s principal. Logging 109 percent participation � the count includes student, staff and family member registrations � Washington edged out second-place Abraham Lincoln Elementary School�s 92 percent. Both schools topped eight-time winner Hoover Elementary School, which took third place with 65 percent participation, a figure up from previous years, according to organizers. A win was especially important for Washington, which draws students from some of the poorest neighborhoods in Medford, teacher Mark Happeny said. "It�s so difficult to get our families and community to participate at this level, especially when we compete with the other communities and schools in Medford," he said. Still, kids, families and the community responded to an intensive campaign that used contests, slogans and even a theme song to more than double last year�s participation rate of 40 percent. Sung to the tune of "Lola" by the Kinks, the ditty composed by Happeny included the name of every teacher in the school, plus Principal Johnson. "P-E-A-R Blossom," Happeny and other male staffers crooned at a Friday assembly complete with tambourines and electric guitars. "B-b-b-b-Blossom." Meanwhile, a sea of students, many in royal blue Washington shirts, clapped and sang along. They included 10-year-old Morgan Daugherty, who logged a record number of laps � 317 � in preparation for the race. The competition among the local schools was friendly but real, said Washington teacher Carol Hearns, who, along with teacher Linda Smith, has entered students in the annual races. "Are we cutthroat competitive? No," Hearns said with a laugh. That was the general sentiment of representatives from several schools, including Abraham Lincoln, which launched a spirited drive to win the trophy. "Well, we wanted first. We keep trying every year to get it," said parent Lois Weathers, who entered her two Abraham Lincoln students. "Still, 92 percent is a lot." Despite the disappointment of some small Lincoln Lions, Weathers congratulated the Washington winners for their drive. "I like their spirit," she said. That echoed the theme of the 1- and 2-mile Pear Blossom fun runs as well as the more competitive 10-mile event: "Everyone�s a Winner." "That�s what I like about this," said Sharon Martin, mother of a student at Orchard Hill Elementary School, which took fourth place. "Everybody roots everybody on." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.