Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey wrote the article and took these photos.
On Thursday, April 28, 2022, the first KINDY 500 was held at Fulton Elementary School, 1301 Seventh Avenue, Fulton, IL. The question arises as to, “What is the Kindy 500?” The answer is found in the kindergarten classrooms of Jodie Dornbush, Aimee Marten, and Stacy McMahon.
“We saw the idea on the internet and thought we could do that. We thought our students would enjoy it, and it would be engaging! For our first year, we felt everything went surprisingly well,” noted Dornbush.
The Kindy 500 was held following a week of kindness emphasis in the classrooms. Each student was offered a homework assignment that could be completed with their parents’ assistance. It was to build a race car out of a cardboard box, which could be worn in the April 28 simulated race, around the grounds of Fulton Middle School.
Excitement was high in the kindergarten classrooms as boxes/cars were delivered, and the creative ideas of the families became apparent. Elementary students lined the halls to cheer on the racers, as they walked the halls and left the building to compete in the first annual Kindy 500.
Following signing of the National Anthem and the call of “Gentlemen start your engines,” Principal Jeff Hoese dropped the checkered flag. River Bend Superintendent Darryl Hogue, the Pace Car, led the procession of cars around the campus, which was lined by excited parents, grandparents, and students. They all cheered on the smiling kindergarten drivers.
The success of the inaugural race of the Kindy 500 had the teachers, pit crew, and crew chiefs making plans to do it again in 2023. Improvements began to form as the day closed.