Extreme Games 2010 caps off a year of mentoring in Renton

What could make a rainy wednesday afternoon more fun for students? How about a room stocked with foosball tables, pool tables, and ping pong? Perhaps arts and crafts stations? You could throw in a gym, complete with a moon bounce and an inflatable obstacle course.

Now add in the key ingredient–their respective mentors–and bingo, this rainy afternoon just got a lot more interesting.

Communities In Schools of Renton found this mix and brought it all together for their recent Mentor & Mentee Fieldtrip, AKA “Extreme Games 2010”. Held once a year, the field trip allows mentors and mentees to get together at the end of the school year, have some fun, and take part in half a day of activities. And for some young mentees, beating their mentor in foosball was the icing on the cake of a year-long relationship.

The fieldtrip was held at the Highlands Neighborhood Center, located in the heart of Renton. But the event didn’t always have the neighborhood location. According to Erin Iverson, Mentor Program Coordinator, the event had previously taken mentors and mentees to locations outside the city, causing many to have to miss the fun. Communities In Schools of Renton kept it within the community for the first time last year, and the community took in the event with open arms. Donations came in from all parts of the community, and this momentum hasn’t stopped.

This year saw attendees from throughout the Renton community. Police officers could be seen shooting hoops with kids, school board members handing out bagged lunches, and city council representatives struggling to keep up with 10 year old opponents on the air-hockey table. When the community gets involved, the students win (on and off the air hockey courts).

“There’s nothing greater,” offered Tim Williams, Recreation Director for the city of Renton, “than the feel of a room full of kids!”