Schirle second and third grade students take off running in the school’s 2019 Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
About 150 Schirle Elementary students hit the track after school Friday for the Turkey Trot, a Schirle tradition where families and Schirle alumni come out to cheer for runners.
The event marks the end of a month-long food drive, where Schirle Sharks bring donations for Marion Polk Food Share. This year, the school donated 1,649 pounds of food, PE teacher Joel Webb announced before the run started.
Students competed in three heats: kindergarten and first graders, second and third graders, and fourth and fifth graders. Winners in each heat took home turkeys and other Thanksgiving staples donated by local businesses.
Students high-five fourth and fifth graders finishing the Schirle Elementary Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle PE teacher Christi Kurtz stretches with second and third graders before they begin the Turkey Troy (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle students look over prizes for winners of the school’s annual Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Supporters cheer as Schirle students approach the finish line in the school’s 2019 Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle PE teacher Jim Webb cheers students on during the Turkey Trot race (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle students collected a record 1,649 pounds of food for Marion Polk Food Share in 2019 as part of the Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
A supporter cheers Schirle students at the Turkey Trot finish line (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Students start the Turkey Trot on the Schirle Elementary field (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle PE teacher Christi Kurtz cheers fourth and fifth grade students finishing the Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
The first place runner sprints out the last bit of the Schirle Elementary Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
A parent cheers runners during the Shirle Elementary Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Students play in the leaves as they wait for Turkey Trot runners to reach the finish line (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Schirle students cheer their classmates during the Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
Kindergarten and first grade Schirle Sharks begin to finish the school’s 2019 Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
News tip? Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
