FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – Teachers and staff members in Franklin County faced off against each other Tuesday in a competition inspired by the TV show 'Amazing Race.'
Running to bikes and golf carts, then using the bikes and carts to get to vans waiting nearby to drive to Smith Mountain Lake, five teams of Franklin County Public Schools teachers and staff members didn't hold back on each other Tuesday.
"We like to have fun during our convocation, our back-to-school event for our professional staff," Franklin County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Sue Rogers said.
Rogers organized the race as a fun, team-building exercise.
Tuesday's five teams were the last of 15 to participate in the race.
"When they line up, they're very apprehensive because they have no idea what's in store for them," Rogers said. "But at the end, they're high-fiving, (saying) 'Yes! We did this.' There's a sense of teamwork and having fun together."
Team members from Boones Mill and Ferrum Elementary schools were nervous and excited as they waited for the race to start.
"I'm assuming there's going to be many different multi-tiered challenges where we have to work together, which we do all the time at the school anyway, but this will help us with that," Bonnes Mill Elementary School P.E. teacher Cairo Craig said.
"I don't want to do anything with snakes," Ferrum Elementary School Principal Jennifer Talley said.
"I don't want to have to eat anything that's gross," Ferrum fourth-grade teacher Brandi Bryant said.
The first stop of the race was at Smith Mountain Lake, where the teams had to dig through sand to find a clue that told them to kayak to a nearby buoy, where they learned their next stop.
Other activities in the race included tomahawk throwing, shoveling manure and loading a calf into a trailer.
The winning team received an extra $5,000 from the school district for technology in their school.
An amazing reward for an amazing race.