GENTRY, AR — Learning at Gentry Public Schools extends beyond textbooks and traditional classroom lessons. At Gentry Intermediate School, students are getting an opportunity to build teamwork, communication and relationships through a new monthly Flex Friday activity called Team Competition Time (TCT).

The new tradition launched last week, bringing students together for friendly competitions designed to encourage collaboration, communication and school spirit.

Each month, homeroom classes in third, fourth and fifth grades will compete against other classes in their grade level in a variety of challenges. The winning class in each grade earns the “Tiny But Mighty” Pioneer Cup to keep for the month.

The first TCT competitions included:

• Third Grade:

  Rock, Paper, Scissors

• Fourth Grade:

  Speed Word Search, with students competing to find the most words

• Fifth Grade:

  Speed Puzzling, with the first class to finish declared the winner

The first TCT winners were Miss Hillis’ class in third grade, Miss Gil’s class in fourth grade and Miss Smith’s class in fifth grade.

While the competitions provided plenty of excitement, the goal of TCT goes beyond simply determining a winner. Students had opportunities to laugh, compete, communicate, encourage one another and interact with classmates they may not regularly work with during the school day.

“School is about more than what happens in a textbook,” said Gentry Intermediate School Principal Kristen Smartt. “Our students are also learning how to communicate, work with others, encourage their classmates and be part of a community. TCT gives us a fun way to build those skills while creating positive experiences for our students.”

Gentry Public Schools continues to look for creative opportunities to combine academic learning with the social and interpersonal skills students need to succeed in school and beyond, according to Superintendent Dr. Tyler Broyles.

With the first Pioneer Cups awarded, students and staff are already looking forward to the next Team Competition Time challenge, Smartt said.