Racing to make friends

An event staff member watches the closing assembly during the first day of ‘The RACE’ at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 1, 2016. ‘The RACE’ takes place every Monday evening in August to help incoming tri-base students adjust to their new surroundings and make friends before the start of the school year. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Abby L. Finkel)

Racing to make friends

Girls from the red team participate in a game of tug-of-war during ‘The RACE’ at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 1, 2016. Four teams competed against each other in a series of events created to build community among both new and returning middle and high school students. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Abby L. Finkel)

Racing to make friends

Two event leaders lift a ‘RACE’ participant off the ground during one of the first events of the evening at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 1, 2016. One of the goals of ‘The RACE’ is to promote healthy and good-natured competition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Abby L. Finkel)

Racing to make friends

Leaders of the green team prepare their group for the beginning of ‘The RACE’ at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 1, 2016. ’The RACE’ is a chapel-led program that helps create positive relationships between students of all ages. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Abby L. Finkel)

Racing to make friends

Published Aug. 5, 2016
By Airman 1st Class Abby Finkel
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Anyone who’s moved in middle or high school knows how challenging it can be to leave behind good friends and make new ones.

‘The RACE,’ a series of group competitions designed to help incoming tri-base students adjust to their new surroundings, is held every Monday evening in August.

The event is put on by Club Beyond, a chapel-based youth program that caters to middle and high school-aged children of military members.

“It gets children plugged in, in a very healthy way,” said Dale Mace, Club Beyond associate staff and ‘The RACE’ creator and director. “It helps them build relationships with people on the base so that awkward first day of school no longer exists.”

To promote community, ‘The RACE’ is open to both new and returning middle and high school students. Returning students are divided evenly between four teams—green, red, blue and yellow—and are tasked with recruiting as many new participants to their team as possible.

The community spirit permeates every aspect of ‘The RACE’—any sort of negative attitude is strictly forbidden on the playing field and can result in a severe team penalty.

“It’s encouraging to see them out being kids and enjoying themselves,” said Teresa Lowder, event participant parent. “It’s great to see the positive encouragement, even for other teams.”

The positive energy creates team bonds that last well beyond the end of August.

“You have a whole team of people you know because you were the same team color,” Mace said. “When you walk into school that first day, it’s not ‘I don’t know anyone’, it’s ‘Hey, you were on my team!’ And then there’s a bond automatically.”

In addition to making new friends, the event also allows students to build relationships with adult mentors on base, which can set them up for success throughout their assignment in England.