Dream Big Marathon: Courage and Determination
WELCOME to the Dream Big Marathon Challenge.
This challenge is completed once a year and be completed multiple times. Any school or individual can do it. It is simple and easy. It also leads to a well-developed child or adult by combining physical activity with reading and kindness. When I say simple, I mean simple. All you need to so is READ 26 books, RUN 26 miles, and REACH OUT with KINDNESS 26 times. The Challenge comes from the back of Dave McGillivray's book, Dream Big: A Story of Courage and Determination.
I have attached the forms below that you can use or you can create your own forms to track your progress. I have also add the links for resources to help along your journey.
Please email me, Diana Colby, if you have any question at [email protected]
Dream Big Running Chart
Tips -
Students do not have to run it all at once.
Break it down into small chunks
Have a running club
Have students walk/run with their family
AWARDS
Running Medals - used donated medals to give them when they completed the running
Dream Big Reading Chart (Originally part of our library 40 book challenge - they only have to read 26 books)
Tips -
Students do not have to read chapter books
Older student can read picture books. Reading is reading
Every 100 pages of a chapter book counted as a book
Audio Books count
The 40 books were for our library and was run by the PTA so I just had them let me know when the completed the first 26
AWARDS
Book- If they completed the 26 books, I let them choose a book from our BOGO book fair ( paid by PTA). You could always get books donated.
Dream Big Reach Out With Kindness Chart
Or use 26 Acts of Big-Hearted Kindness
Tips-
Complete it as a class
Change it to fit your school
Works well with SEL (Social and Emotional Learning)
Encourage kindness every day
AWARDS
Small Pin - I was lucky to have a friend donate pins. These could be really inexpensive pins.
They small awards are not necessary.
DREAM BIG MARATHON MEDAL - This is awarded at the end of the year celebration. I reached out to a running club on Facebook for donations. Here is the l website to order them. DreamBigWithDave.org
Story behind the Dream Big Marathon at Bluebonnet Elementary School
Dream Big Marathon
Backstory:
Over the last 7 years, I have been to the Boston Marathon 5 times. My husband loves running and has qualified for the Boston Marathon every year since 2012, however in 2104 he was “Squeaked” out because the number of runners who wanted to run was greater than the slots available so he did not get to run.
Because of this event, he helped start a Facebook group called the “Boston Squeakers” for individuals who are on the line and risk not getting accepted in spite of having a qualifying time. As a result, he has connected runners all over the world especially those in the Boston area. Many of the members of the group know that I am a librarian, and they share ideas with my husband. This past summer one of the members shared the book, Dream Big: A story of Courage and Determination.
My husband encouraged me to read the story. He reached out to the author and asked about the Dream Big Marathon challenge that is found in the back of the book which is to read 26 books, run 26 miles and reach out 26 times over 26 week. The author is Dave McGillivray, the race director of the Boston Marathon. After learning of the challenge, I met with the PE teacher and the counselor to see if the activities would match with their goals of the year. They both wholeheartedly agreed.
I connected the reading to our campus PTA’s Trailblazer reading. This way they receive rewards as the read books throughout the year. Our pe teacher has a running unit so she purchased a tracking app through a PTA donation which tracks the students as the run during PE. We also made a tracking for so they can use at home and then Mrs. Vaughan can add it to their total. Finally, our counselor, Mrs. Connolly created a Dream Big Marathon Reach out with kindness sheet for students to track the acts of service. We have shared a print version for the students to take home, we have also sent a digital copy home through Seesaw.
Students are not the only ones who are participating. We have invited every teacher and staff member to join the Dream Big Marathon. We will have a replica of the Boston Course located outside of the gym. We have also modified the running for the teachers to include other activities such as walking and elliptical with the idea that they are up and moving.
To help the teachers track their progress, I send out a quick survey on Monday mornings for them to send in their miles run, books read and acts of service so they can see their progress
The goal is to help students realize that everyone can complete a marathon. Those who complete all three parts will receive a special Dream Big marathon medal.
Watch more about the celebration with Wayne Carter - NBC news - Brag About Your School
This challenge is completed once a year and be completed multiple times. Any school or individual can do it. It is simple and easy. It also leads to a well-developed child or adult by combining physical activity with reading and kindness. When I say simple, I mean simple. All you need to so is READ 26 books, RUN 26 miles, and REACH OUT with KINDNESS 26 times. The Challenge comes from the back of Dave McGillivray's book, Dream Big: A Story of Courage and Determination.
I have attached the forms below that you can use or you can create your own forms to track your progress. I have also add the links for resources to help along your journey.
Please email me, Diana Colby, if you have any question at [email protected]
Dream Big Running Chart
Tips -
Students do not have to run it all at once.
Break it down into small chunks
Have a running club
Have students walk/run with their family
AWARDS
Running Medals - used donated medals to give them when they completed the running
Dream Big Reading Chart (Originally part of our library 40 book challenge - they only have to read 26 books)
Tips -
Students do not have to read chapter books
Older student can read picture books. Reading is reading
Every 100 pages of a chapter book counted as a book
Audio Books count
The 40 books were for our library and was run by the PTA so I just had them let me know when the completed the first 26
AWARDS
Book- If they completed the 26 books, I let them choose a book from our BOGO book fair ( paid by PTA). You could always get books donated.
Dream Big Reach Out With Kindness Chart
Or use 26 Acts of Big-Hearted Kindness
Tips-
Complete it as a class
Change it to fit your school
Works well with SEL (Social and Emotional Learning)
Encourage kindness every day
AWARDS
Small Pin - I was lucky to have a friend donate pins. These could be really inexpensive pins.
They small awards are not necessary.
DREAM BIG MARATHON MEDAL - This is awarded at the end of the year celebration. I reached out to a running club on Facebook for donations. Here is the l website to order them. DreamBigWithDave.org
Story behind the Dream Big Marathon at Bluebonnet Elementary School
Dream Big Marathon
Backstory:
Over the last 7 years, I have been to the Boston Marathon 5 times. My husband loves running and has qualified for the Boston Marathon every year since 2012, however in 2104 he was “Squeaked” out because the number of runners who wanted to run was greater than the slots available so he did not get to run.
Because of this event, he helped start a Facebook group called the “Boston Squeakers” for individuals who are on the line and risk not getting accepted in spite of having a qualifying time. As a result, he has connected runners all over the world especially those in the Boston area. Many of the members of the group know that I am a librarian, and they share ideas with my husband. This past summer one of the members shared the book, Dream Big: A story of Courage and Determination.
My husband encouraged me to read the story. He reached out to the author and asked about the Dream Big Marathon challenge that is found in the back of the book which is to read 26 books, run 26 miles and reach out 26 times over 26 week. The author is Dave McGillivray, the race director of the Boston Marathon. After learning of the challenge, I met with the PE teacher and the counselor to see if the activities would match with their goals of the year. They both wholeheartedly agreed.
I connected the reading to our campus PTA’s Trailblazer reading. This way they receive rewards as the read books throughout the year. Our pe teacher has a running unit so she purchased a tracking app through a PTA donation which tracks the students as the run during PE. We also made a tracking for so they can use at home and then Mrs. Vaughan can add it to their total. Finally, our counselor, Mrs. Connolly created a Dream Big Marathon Reach out with kindness sheet for students to track the acts of service. We have shared a print version for the students to take home, we have also sent a digital copy home through Seesaw.
Students are not the only ones who are participating. We have invited every teacher and staff member to join the Dream Big Marathon. We will have a replica of the Boston Course located outside of the gym. We have also modified the running for the teachers to include other activities such as walking and elliptical with the idea that they are up and moving.
To help the teachers track their progress, I send out a quick survey on Monday mornings for them to send in their miles run, books read and acts of service so they can see their progress
The goal is to help students realize that everyone can complete a marathon. Those who complete all three parts will receive a special Dream Big marathon medal.
Watch more about the celebration with Wayne Carter - NBC news - Brag About Your School
