From the Bean Bag Toss to the Basketball Dribble Relay, elementary school field days, usually held across several days with designated grade-levels competing on each, are sure to bring friendly competition and laughs.

But this year at John W. Decas Elementary, field days were a little bit different. The competition was turned into a full-day event for the entire school.

"[Field days are] a great opportunity to do a nice whole-school event," said Principal Aaron Viera. "I think we have so few opportunities to come together as a 'Decas family.'"

And come together, they did.

During the afternoon of the June 9 event, first graders perfected their bean-bag-tossing skills, while second graders hurled tennis balls in the Tennis Ball Throw, and fifth graders took a lunch break at the cookout organized by cafeteria workers.

Fifth-grader Paulo De Oliveira said he liked the full-day event.

"This year you got to see your other friends from other grades," Paulo said. "It was really fun."

Paulo said his favorite game was the Soccer Dribble Relay, which required students on two teams to dribble a soccer ball around cones, and pass it to the next person on their team, to see which team could finish first.

Physical Education teacher Chris Phenix coordinated the event. "A lot of parent volunteers made it run very smooth," he said.

Parent volunteer Lynne Burroughs, who helped out with the Egg Relay along with her husband, Mike, said the new field day set-up helped students come together and feel like one unit.

"The kids are having an absolute blast," Burroughs said. "And so am I."