William Tell Elementary hosts student triathlon with sponsor support

William Tell Elementary turned a school fitness day into a community-backed event for Perry County families, bringing first- through sixth-graders together for a triathlon at 1235 31st St. in Tell City. The school’s live feed showed students running, biking and swimming, a format built around participation and movement rather than medals alone.

Each child who took part received a free T-shirt, a practical reward made possible by sponsors. The district thanked those supporters directly, saying it could not put on events like this without community help. That matters in a school setting where extras can depend on local backing, and where the payoff is visible in children who get an active, memorable experience before summer break.

William Tell Elementary serves grades PreK-6, and the Indiana Department of Education profile lists 744 enrolled students and 57% free or reduced lunch. The same profile lists 91.2% third-grade literacy and 36.7% sixth-grade math growth, numbers that place the triathlon in the broader day-to-day work of a large elementary school serving many families in Tell City and across Perry County. The event gave younger students a chance to be active together in a setting that blended health, school pride and family support.

The triathlon also appears to fit an established local pattern. In May 2023, Tell City Police said School Resource Officer Martin prepared for his first William Tell Elementary Triathlon by recommissioning an old police bicycle, and the department shared photos of Martin riding alongside a student named Lydia. That earlier event suggests the triathlon is becoming more than a one-off activity and may be settling into a school tradition with room to grow.

Tell City Schools includes William Tell Elementary, which serves kindergarten through sixth grade, and Tell City Jr. Sr. High School, which serves grades 7-12. For a school community anchored in Tell City, the triathlon showed how sponsor dollars, staff effort and student enthusiasm can come together in a way that is both simple and repeatable: get the children moving, recognize the people who help, and give families something concrete to remember as the school year closes.