Music pumped throughout the gym as members of the Atlanta Hawks dance team and Harry the Hawk performed with West End Elementary students. The scene inside the gym was one of many celebrations on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the school in celebration of the official ribbon cutting of the new outdoor basketball court and pickleball court.
The same enthusiasm that permeated the gym extended from the level of enthusiasm a large group of West End staff and community members exhibited early last year as the group came together to top all schools in a state-wide step challenge, with the prize being the outdoor basketball court.
At the official ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier in the day, Rome City Schools Board Chair Faith Collins congratulated West End Elementary and everyone who participated in the step challenge, recognizing the dedication of the steppers and the collective effort that led to the school’s success.
Superintendent Dr. Eric L. Holland also praised the participants. Dr. Holland actually took part in the step challenge, helping the team amass an average of more than 550,000 steps during the four-month contest, and he praised the team for coming together to win.
“Our motto at Rome City Schools is, ‘No one of us is as great as all of us,” and the members of the step challenge truly showed that because it took all of them working together to win this,” he said.
West End Principal Dr. Dennis Drummons was all smiles at the event, saying that the ribbon cutting served as a proud principal moment for him because he knew how much use the court would get from the students at West End.
Dr. Drummond wasn’t sure what the response would be when he put out a call out for teachers, staff, and others to join the West End team for the challenge.
“Our teachers got excited about it. We got a lot healthier. It was great having that accountability with each other,” Dr. Drummond said. “We included our family members, so a lot of our family members got healthier. But in the end, everything that we did was for our students.”
That accountability showed up in texts gently reminding participants to keep stepping. But those got a bit more often when West End jumped to first place in the competition and held the lead up to the final day.
Another school, however, chipped away at that lead and the day before the contest ended, took over first place. Dr. Drummond sent out an all-hands on deck text, imploring everyone to get out and step that day.
“I think a large group of us walked 40,000 steps on the last day to make sure we finished with the victory. Everything we do, we want to win. We were just thankful for the team effort and thankful for the support of our board members, Dr. Holland, the community support, and the sponsors that made this possible,” he said.
Dr. Drummond led one of several groups on that last day that started walking at Ridge Ferry Park after school and didn’t stop until well into the evening. The last-day efforts paid off, giving West End the much-deserved win. And while winning the challenge was big, it wasn't about the win for Dr. Drummond and the team, it was about the kids.
“It's been a heartwarming experience to see the kids once the basketball court and the pickleball court were completed. On that first day to see them rush out there and get the balls and start playing was awesome,” he said. “Ultimately, that's why we walked literally millions of steps. I'm so thankful because it really was a team effort. It was just amazing to see how everybody chipped in.”
Although the court had been completed for a few months, the official ribbon cutting was held on Thursday to allow the sponsors to attend. Those sponsors pitched in to make a memorable day for all of the West End students.
Dr. Dennis Drummond thanked the many sponsors and partners who helped make the project possible, including the State Health Benefit Plan, the Department of Community Health, Anthem, United Healthcare, and Atrium Health.
Several sponsors spoke at the ceremony, with a ton of photos being taken of all the festivities.
Brandeus Davis, the Associate Director and Account Manager for the SHBP, was one of many people enjoying all the festivities.
“It's incredible. I think one of the best things about being able to witness the transformation of this initiative is being able to see it from its earliest stage. We wanted to be able to understand how we can really have an impact on Georgia,” he said. “Setting the foundation for this challenge, we really wanted to emphasize, making sure that we think about health and wellness, and we think about one of the most important groups of individuals across the state of George - our teachers. Getting a chance to see it from that stage all the way to now and getting a chance to see its final transition into the basketball court is incredible for us.”
Davis and company were blown away by the response to the challenge and impressed by the massive number of steps West End and other school teams amassed during the four-month challenge. He also couldn't stop smiling on Thursday as he got to see the celebrations among staff and students.
“We were so thrilled to see all of these amazing opportunities happen throughout the challenge, but getting a chance to actually see the court in its finished form is something that we cherish,” Davis said. “Honestly, getting a chance to see some of the students play on that court as well is something we'll remember for a long time.”