There was a lot of energy at Sparks Stadium on October 12 when nearly 1,600 students arrived ready to run, jump rope, and practice math skills. They were there to compete in the tenth annual Marge Salmon Math Relay games.

Fifth and sixth grade students from 22 Puyallup elementary schools and All Saints Catholic School participated.

The event is held in honor of longtime Puyallup teacher Marge Salmon who retired in 2011 and has since passed away.

The relay games feature students in fifth and sixth grades competing in teams. An obstacle course is set up for students to run, jump through hula hoops, perform jumping jacks, and jump rope. They stop along the way at stations where volunteers present them with math facts. They must answer 10 math facts correctly before continuing to the next station.

In support of their younger peers, nearly 50 students from Aylen and Kalles junior high schools were on hand to help. The Color Guard from Rogers JROTC opened the relay with the presentation of colors, and Kalles ninth-grade student Micah Bach played the National Anthem on his saxophone.

As in previous years, the event was coordinated and co-hosted by Puyallup Physical Education Specialist Greg Farias, Director of Instructional Leadership Amanda Kraft, and Physical Education Specialist Tristin McNabb.

The Math Relay is the result of a collaboration between the health and fitness and math departments. The Health and Fitness Department provided the equipment and hosted the event at Sparks Stadium, while the district Math Department provided funds for the bus transportation to and from the event.