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The Bartlesville Public Schools Board of Education honored a couple of groups at theier monthly meeting on Monday evening.

The mentors for the Bruins on the Run were given special recognition for all they do for the youngesters involved with Bruins on the Run. 

Bruins on the Run is a program of the Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation.

The program is a voluntary after-school mentoring and running program for fifth grade students at all six BPS elementary schools.  Participation is intended to increase focus in the classroom, create positive relationships between students and their teacher mentors, and improve relationships between students at different school sites before they enter a common middle school.

Bruins on the Run is loosely based on the structure of the successful Run the Streets program that uses mentoring and long distance running to provide a positive impact on its participants.  It was started thanks to a generous Community Collaboration Grant from the Bartlesville Community Foundation.  Since its inception, its funding is sustained courtesy of generous community donors and local grants.

The third season started August 30, 2021 with 112 students and 58 mentors.  It is offered as an eight-week session, culminating with the Woolaroc 8K. This year, we  also offered a spring mini-session culminating in the KLife 10K.  73 fifth graders and 41 teacher-mentors completed the 10K.

During the program, participants run with teacher mentors on trails next to their respective school sites.

The BPS Foundation covers all costs to participate in the program: top of the line running shoes, t-shirts, race registrations, snacks, and awards.

Next up was the recognition of Richard Kane Elementary 5th grade Leadership Students.

These fifth graders help the younger students along while at school display what it takes to be capable leader.

These youngsters shined brightly at the school recently when they assisted with the visit from the State Superindentent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister several days ago.