The Pentathlon

THE FIFTH GRADE Greek Pentathlon is an annual event that brings together Waldorf schools throughout New England and Eastern Canada for demonstrations of athleticism, friendship, and peace. The children participate in five events, javelin, discus, long jump, running, and wrestling. Boys and girls compete together, and contestants are judged not on speed or accuracy, but on the beauty of their efforts. The Fifth Grade trains all year for this spring event, while, in the classroom, their teachers lead them through a study of the mythology and history of Ancient Greece.