Russell House pupils have continued to tackle thrilling exercise challenges following the Race to Nepal reported in the previous issue. Two weeks after the Nepal challenge, Headmaster Craig McCarthy launched a challenge to the school focused on scaling Everest.
Lockdown meant, of course, that the challenge was to be tackled locally! It involved pupils and staff recording the number of steps covered each day over the course of a week and each step was assumed to be a foot in distance. It required 17,700 steps to reach basecamp. To reach the summit, 29,030 steps were needed and 58,060 to make it there and back.
More than 7 million feet logged
By the end of the week more than 7 million feet had been logged – which meant the school had collectively climbed the world’s highest mountain more than 250 times!
The Sherpa Award for those who made it there and back again was achieved by: Sophia, Anastasia, Joseph, Kamran, Clara, Oliver, Isabelle, Austin, Isla, Dakota, Ella, Connor, Ella, Charlie, Annabel, Alexander, Henry, Scarlett, Alfie, Oliver, Varsha, Varun, Xander, Emilia, Newman, Eleanor, Martha, Charlotte, James, Ethan, Hector, Freja, Alex, Alyssa, Isobel, Zander, Kiran, Samuel, Patrick, Tommy, Tristyn, Alexander, Bjorn, and eighteen members of staff!
Very special mention goes to Lucy J, Anna U, Eva U, Dylan C, Madison C and Mrs Williamson who each completed sufficient steps (more than 116,000) to make it to the summit and back twice!
Final challenge was closer to home
The final exercise challenge brought the school community back closer to home with the Tour de Kent. The route, starting in Otford headed up to Dartford and east to Margate before turning south to take in Dover and Dungeness. The final stages passed Tunbridge Wells and Westerham before returning to Otford. The complete tour was a distance of 196 miles.
Again, the feat was done virtually. This time pupils and staff needed to record the distance travelled each day on a wheeled, human-powered machine – including bikes and scooters. Together the school toured our county more than 21 times. Russell House Form 5 deserve special mention for contributing more than a quarter of the total miles. ‘Circuit Breakers’ – who made a complete tour themselves – were Alex G, Miss Smith and Mr Skinner.
This marked the end of the online community challenges. Russell House opened to all pupils in all year groups on June 23rd, just in time for sports day activities held together in school.
