COMPETITIVE SPIRIT JUNIOR OLYMPICS BEGINS.Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. - Armed with a torch used in the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles, local fifth- and sixth-graders ran from school to school Friday in a relay race to kick off today's Junior Olympics at Royal High School. The relay started at Katherine School at 8:30 a.m. and included 20 Simi Valley Unified elementary schools before finishing at Rancho Simi Community Park, where the young runners were treated to lunch donated by McDonald's. ``It was fun,'' said 10-year-old Jeremy Gilbert of Simi SIMI Sea Ice Mechanics Initiative SIMI Search for Intelligent Monkeys on the Internet SIMI Students Islamic Movement in India SIMI Society of Irish Motor Industry SIMI Smallholder Irrigation Markets Initiative Elementary. ``But it's kind of tiring because we run for a long time.'' As in marathons, the athletes were given water along the route, and once one group reached the next school, they passed the torch, boarded a bus and snacked on trail mix and licorice licorice (lĭk`ərĭs, –rĭsh), name for a European plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) and for the sweet substance obtained from the root. . Julie Severance, a parent helping with the event, said she enjoyed the race. ``It's wonderful. It's a great community thing, and it brings all the schools together.'' Today's games, which will involve 1,200 district children competing in events, including track and field and volleyball, are sponsored by the Simi Valley PTA PTA or parent-teacher association: see parent education. and the Simi Valley Unified School District A unified school district is a school district which includes both primary school (kindergarten through middle school or junior high) and high school (grades 9-12). In Illinois, these districts are called unit school districts. . Opening ceremonies will begin at Royal High School at 8:45 a.m. The theme for this year's games - A World of Winners - reflects the purpose of fair and friendly competition, according to organizers. ``This is cool,'' said Raquel De los Rios, a fifth-grader at Crestview school. ``It's a fun way to support your school.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- 3 -- color) Justin Elementary School students, top, watch the incoming runner from Vista Elementary School, as a torch from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Los Angeles Olympics may refer to:
Olympic Games • • , above, is passed from school to school Friday. At left, Danielle Bates Bates , Katherine Lee 1859-1929. American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. , left, of Vista Elementary School, receives the torch from Justin Elementary School's Mairin Reiss during the relay which opened the Jr. Olympics. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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