Students launched into summer with dodgeball game

SANDPOINT — A small army of middle schoolers took on local law enforcement and firefighters on Friday in a heated game of dodgeball to celebrate the end of the 2022 school year.

The Sandpoint Middle School gym was packed full of middle schoolers who faced off against members of the Selkirk Fire and Sandpoint Police departments in the ferocious contest.

In dodgeball, if any portion of the body is struck with a ball the person is declared “out” and the individual stands in “jail.” When the person who struck them is later stuck, those jailed by that person are then freed.

That, or the referee can declare a “jailbreak,” where every individual in jail can rejoin the game.

Men in uniform and students waited in their respective jails, patiently awaiting freedom, as Principal Crosby Tajan stood on the balcony above with a blow horn moderating the controlled chaos.

Students threw ball after ball at the police and firefighters, who broke into a sweat at the beginning of the game.

Some students joined the side of law enforcement, throwing balls at their peers while teachers, parents, and students from other grades looked on.

At the end of the event, Tajan told the students they could leave the gymnasium, prompting a flood of students to head out the doors, with some helping to collect the dodgeballs.

Shortly after, a small remaining group of students counted down from 10, officially welcoming summer break.

After the countdown, those in uniform were still dripping in sweat and struggling to catch their breath. However, everyone on both sides were beaming with smiles.

Tajan said the last 90 minutes of the Sandpoint Middle School year is reserved for fun activities so students can launch into the summer season on a high note. The practice has been a tradition in the school for years.

However, the global pandemic caused the celebration to be subdued in past school years. 2022 marked the first enthusiastic send off since 2019.

“It was a good year,” Tajan said Friday after the final bell. “It was good to get back to normal. We thought it was very important.”

In addition to the dodgeball battle, other activities included sidewalk chalk drawing, roping, horseshoes, and outdoor volleyball.

“We love interacting with the kids in the community in a positive way,” Sandpoint Police Lt. Steven Chamberlain said after the dodgeball game.

“If the youth see us in a positive capacity they can have a positive interaction with law enforcement, which is what we want,” said Chamberlain, who has served with the department for 20 years..

SMS officials agreed, saying the event helps foster positive connections for everyone involved.

“Plus it’s a good training deal because they get worn out,” Tajan said, referencing the men in uniform. “This is a way for [students] to make connections with fire and police in a positive and fun way.”

The end-of-the-year activities are scheduled for students and teachers alike.

“The last 90 minutes we get everybody outside and it’s all about fun,” Tajan said. “It’s good to have the last 90 minutes to end the year on a high note.”

Principal Kari Granier emphasized the importance of bonding activities at the end of the year, specifically fostering leadership among the upcoming eighth grade class.

“We get to focus on bonding the seventh graders together,” Granier said. “They’re our next leaders.”

Granier will be accompanying the upcoming freshman class to Sandpoint High School, becoming principal of the high school.

“It’s so hard to leave,” Granier said. “I thought I was going to be a Bullpup forever, but the highschool is calling.”

Tajan said that Granier has formed a significant bond with the incoming freshman class and is excited to continue with the cohort through their education.

“During this transition time, we want them to end the year feeling good,” Tajan said.