La Conner High School track team members were egg-cellent role models at the Braves Hub last Thursday.
A day after competing in a league meet in Mount Vernon, where the La Conner boys took top honors and the Braves’ girls placed second in an 11-school field, head coach Peter Voorhees’ charges were winners again, this time with local youth at the Braves Hub.
La Conner thinclads delayed the start of their April 2 workout to help younger students attending the Braves Hub after-school program color Easter Eggs.
A good time was had by all.
During the briskly paced afternoon session, the Braves Hub was filled with non-stop laughter and cheers. And a lot of creativity.
“We want everyone to do their darndest and make these eggs beautiful,” Braves Hub staffer and La Conner Community News Board Member Gale Fiege said beforehand.
As it turned out, neither the track-and-field teens nor the Braves Hub kids — most of whom attend La Conner Elementary — needed further encouragement. Early on, La Conner High senior sprinter and pole vaulter Maeve McCormick dashed about to take photos capturing the glee shown by pupils as they drew designs and color-dipped their eggs.
Fiege and her husband, Cascadia Daily News deputy editor Jon Bauer, provided four dozen eggs and a wide range of colors for the students to use.
“We probably should’ve gotten more eggs,” Fiege said with a smile, noting the energy in the room.
She lauded the participation of the track team.
“It makes a huge difference having all of them here,” said Fiege, thankful for the egg-stra hands helping out.
Voorhees each season includes a public service component in the La Conner High track program. For the past couple years the focus has been on team members volunteering weekly at the Braves Hub, a grant-funded enrichment opportunity designed to support the academic, social and extra-curricular needs and interests of district students.
The interaction has proved beneficial for all involved, taking the Braves Hub mission of creativity, critical thinking and teamwork to new heights.
The track team follows the lead of the Braves Hub on its visits, usually set for Thursdays.
“We leave it up to the Braves Hub staff to plan all the activities,” Voorhees said.
Fiege suggested an egg-coloring unit and Braves Hub coordinator Jessica Pedroza hatched the plan for it to align with the track team’s availability.
“Please have some fun,” Fiege asked of the track team upon its arrival last week, “and help these Braves Hub kids be creative.”
The high-schoolers met those eggs-pectations — and then some.
Senior Marlin Braelins, a skilled musician as well as a trackster, worked with several fourth graders on their egg-coloring and then strolled over to the Braves Hub piano to tickle the ivories and push the pedals a bit.
That was but one eggs-ample of how the Braves Hub Easter Egg coloring assignment was one to dye for.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
