Sneakers, Smiles, and Success:
Brookwood Elementary’s 100 Mile Club Journey
At our core, we aim to inspire happy, healthy kids through running, and we absolutely love it when schools take the 100 Mile Club Program to new heights! This month, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Alabama’s very own Brookwood Elementary School and their amazing coach, Shelley Grimes. Shelley and the Brookwood team have poured so much love and energy into their running program, creating a fantastic community vibe that truly embodies what it means to be a 100 Mile Club school.
Sally’s journey with the 100 Mile Club kicked off back in 2013 at Harrand Creek Elementary, thanks to an ASAP Acceleration Grant from then First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Active Schools initiative—she chose the 100 Mile Club as her program! Fast forward to now, and she’s in her 12th year as a 100 Mile Club Coach, currently making waves at Brookwood Elementary, which has proudly been a 100 Mile Club school for the past three years. “Our running club has exploded to 259 participants in grades K-6!” Shelley shares, “Every Tuesday and Thursday morning before school, kids get the chance to walk or run for 30 minutes to kickstart their day.” Since August, the Brookwood Milers have already racked up over 12,000 miles, with even more miles on the horizon! They have fun incentives too—every five miles they run, they earn special tokens, plus they can track their progress on a vibrant milestone bulletin board for all to see.
Excitingly, Brookwood Elementary has already celebrated two superstar students who have hit the 100-mile milestone: fifth grader Francesca and fourth grader Landon! Last year, Francesca ran an impressive 330 miles and is eager to outdo herself this year, while Landon consistently runs three miles every day they hit the track. Both have been recognized multiple times with the Runner of the Week Golden Shoe Award for their enthusiasm and commitment to their running goals!
The Brookwood program goes above and beyond by bringing families together with fun events like their monthly Saturday Family Fun Runs! “This past year, our school family runs have evolved into community runs,” Shelley explains enthusiastically. “Every month, all six Enterprise Elementary schools gather at the high school track to earn miles alongside our families and friends.” During these awesome events, runners have an hour to clock as many miles as possible, all while earning an exclusive token! Thanks to their incredible initiative in elevating the 100 Mile Club experience, Brookwood Elementary received a CLAS School of Distinction Award in May, and their education department is excited to share their journey at the ASAPHERD Fall Conference this month!
As Shelley beautifully said, “It has been amazing to see something that started at one school blossom and reach across our district to touch the lives of thousands of kids.”
