It may not be core curriculum and it involves running the halls, but the lessons kids learn at Redoubt Elementary school during the “Great Grocery Grab” are equally important lessons for life. The creation of Sharon Hale, Redoubt’s library aid, the Great Grocery Grab is about kids helping kids during this season of giving, “It’s our annual food drive and is a fun way to bring some guests in from the community to run down the hall and fill their grocery carts with non-perishable food items which are donated to the Food Bank. It also lets kids realize at an early age that there are folks in our community who need some help and that you’re never too young to give back to someone in need. Last year we collected over 1,000 lbs. of food that was taken to the Foodbank,” Hale told the Dispatch.
Former Redoubt principal John Pothast was brought back as a celebrity this year to face the popular Borough Mayor Mike Navarre in “Grab Off!” At last year’s competition Navarre came up short in his run against Supt. Sean Dusek, but this year the mayor was ready to rumble with his team, made up of Dawson Harpole (kindergarten) and 6th grader Lanie Watham. Team members were draw at random from all the Redoubt students. Navarre dressed as a caped moose inspired his team and started off at a quick pace. Pothast with funky headgear was assisted by Brynn Hageland (2nd grade) and 4th grader Zach Buckbee. As the students lined both sides of the hallways in an orderly manner it became apparent that the kids were so happy to see their former principal that Team Pothast was being slightly delayed for high five’s and greetings from the kids, “Yeah I miss the kids but I’m enjoying my new job too,” he said. “Creative things like this is part of what we try and teach kids to realize that we are part of a larger global world and that we have a responsibility to our world and this makes a great physical demonstration for kids,” said Pothast.
In the end after much cheering by all the students it was Team Navarre that captured this year’s Grocery Grab title, “We moved fast, but safely and as the new reigning champion I had some great help from Dawson and Lanie. I trained all year after losing last year to Mr. Dusek and it took a year to get into shape, JP just didn’t keep up with the training regimen I guess. I knew we had a lot of food when we came around the corner and trying to make the turn the amount of inertia was amazing and I started sweating that I might not be able to make the turn, but we did and we came in first,” said Navarre.
