- December 26, 2024
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The Spikes team — Alex Engelmann and Kaiden Sullivan — and the Hot Rods, Pieter Goetzelman and Lucas Martin. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Pathways Elementary music teacher Jessica Palmer sings the National Anthem during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Dream Team: Rigsby and Woodson Wile, and Theodore Koulouris. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Speed Demons: Johnathan Britt and Blaine Singleton. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Gymnasts: Kyle Saracco and Mia LaBell. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Dynamic Duo: Addison Burhans and Kaitlyn Garcia. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Hot Rods: Pieter Goetzelman and Lucas Martin. They lost a wheel shortly after starting and had to get a backup car. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Peelin' Out: Hudson Calabrese and Tyler Morgan. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Legacy team: Avonelle Thomas and Adeline Teate. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Harry Potter Hexers: Eloise Barjatya and Zoe Wing. They lost a back left wheel during the push race and simply "slapped it back on." Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Spongebob Sisters: Sloan Levoy and Baylee Brown. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Disney on Wheels: Zahra Denard and Evie Hazelwood. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Field Goals: Morgan Annon and Abigail Davis. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Ghostbusters: Shora Pearson and Klaudia Scaber. They played the "Ghostbusters" team as they raced. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Yin and Yang: Aaliyah Delgrasso and Carolina Delatorriente. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Dream Team was the best example of teamwork he could image, said derby organizer and Pathways fifth grade teacher Matt Coleman. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Johnathan Britt participates in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Addison Burhans takes part in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Avonelle Thomas and Adeline Teate take part in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Sloan Levoy and Baylee Brown take part in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Abigail Davis runs beside Morgan Annon in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Flower Power team: Bailey Sparkman runs next to Seyahna Sampson in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
ESE teachers Anibal Rodriguez and James Taylor run on either side of Jovon Fitzgerald in the drift race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Mia LaBell and Kylie Saracco speed by in the push race during the Pathways Derby on Thursday, May 19. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Adeline Teate and Avonelle Thomas, of The Legacy team, speed by as Pathways Principal Josh Jackson and PE Coah Shelley Cooper watch. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The 80s Time Machine team: Makenna Bonnano and Anaya Gilbert. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Disney on Wheels team — Evie Hazelwood and Zahra Denard – switch spots during the push race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Hot Rods' car sits on the side of the race after losing a wheel. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Flower Power team — Seyahna Sampson and Bailey Sparkman — speed to the finish in the push race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Lars Sweeny runs alongside ESE teacher James Taylor. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Klaudia Scaber and Shora Pearson speed by during the push race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Woodson Wile pushes Theodore Koulouris in the push race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Tyler Morgan and Hudson Calabrese, of the Peelin' Out team, take part in the final drift race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Race director and organizer Matt Coleman. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Jovon Fitzgerald, of the Pathways Demolition Team, drives down the ramp in the drift race. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Pathways Derby came back at full speed on Thursday, May 19.
The event is a tradition 17 years running for Pathways Elementary, and with 17 cars in play, this year's derby was an exciting one. Not only was it the first derby since the pandemic that allowed all students and parents to watch (the event was canceled in 2020, and the 2021 race was only held for fifth grade students), but this was also the first year two cars experienced mechanical issues before School Crossing Guard Karen Williams could command the fifth-grade drivers to start their engines.
There were lost wheels. Instances were cars veered off course and had to be righted. And some good stories behind it all.
For instance, the Dream Team, composed of Theodore Koulouris and twins Rigsby and Woodson Wile, was the first team in the derby's history to have three drivers. All three boys have wanted to compete in the derby since they were in kindergarten, shared derby organizer and Pathways fifth grade teacher Matt Coleman in a statement. But, Koulouris has a degenerative condition, and he worried that he wouldn't be able to push the car around the course for the derby's push race portion.
"I love all three and wanted them to participate so I let them compete as a trio," Coleman wrote.
Each of the boys got to go down the ramp for the drift race, and ran two push races in the hot and humid morning: One with just the Wile twins, and one with them pushing Koulouris. It was the best example of teamwork he could imagine, Coleman wrote.
As for the teams whose cars experienced mechanical issues prior to the start of the derby, there was a backup plan in place. Previous derby competitors have donated their cars to the school, and the students were able to grab one of them and keep participating.
"I was very proud of both teams for not getting upset or being angry because of their bad luck," Coleman wrote. "They took it all in stride and had fun."
In addition, the Pathways Demolition Team was driven by two of the school's multi-ESE students: Jovon Fitzgerald and Lars Sweeny. The school's janitor, John Berry, took one of the donated derby cars and spruced it up for this year's derby by adding a rear wing, a new coat of paint and other racing features, "all so these two students could partake in the race and have fun too," Coleman wrote. Media Specialist Kelly McCabe designed and made shirts for the team as well.
"Our new principal, Josh Jackson, had been hearing about the derby since the day he was hired and loved every minute of it," Coleman wrote. "He is already thinking of ways to make it bigger and better for next year."
