Altoona Middle School serves 423 students from grades 7 through 8, ranking among the top 30% of Wisconsin schools for overall state testing proficiency. 48% of students achieve mastery in mathematics while 45% do in reading; its student-to-teacher ratio stands at 13:1. Minorities make up 18% of its enrollment.
Pole Vault
The Pole Vault (track and field event) requires athletes to jump over a bar using a long, flexible pole. As one of four jumping events within track and field, success in this competition requires high running speeds in addition to rigorous practice with qualified coaches using safe equipment in order to avoid injury. It has long been known as one of the more dangerous athletic contests, accounting for many deaths related to track-related deaths as well as severe head and spine injuries in its wake. In order to stay safe while participating, participants should utilize qualified coaching services and use equipment designed explicitly by designers when practicing the event in order to minimize risks related to the running speed required in this contest. To reduce the risks involved, participants should practice regularly under supervision and use equipment designed by qualified professionals so as not to risk injuring themselves during its execution.
Sprinting down a runway carrying their pole, they plant it in a vault box and rock their body backward in order to set their stake vertically before pushing off with legs and arms and propelling themselves over the bar. Great vaulters make this sport seem effortless by efficiently channeling energy.
Vaulting requires an exchange of kinetic and potential energies between runs (KEapproach), potential energy in the pole through bending (PEpole), and then back again as the athlete hurls their downward motion toward the bar (KEvault). When clearing, this transforms to gravitational potential energy until they land safely with both legs on a mat (PEfall).
At an individual competition, competitors typically get three attempts at each height before recording their best clearance as the winner of that height. If two or more vaulters achieve equal highest clearance scores at different sizes, their performances are then evaluated to decide who wins; ties can be broken by considering total misses throughout the competition and by counting missed jumps at each height level individually.
Long Jump
On Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, both State High boys and girls won their respective district meets. Kali Stagg from Altoona came third in the long jump competition.
Punxsy’s Grant Miller made history, clearing 10 feet to win by nearly an inch in the pole vault competition. Mason Nesbitt of Altoona recorded an excellent effort, earning 9-00 for fifth-place finisher status, and Minyhah Easterling of Glendale was outstanding as she finished 17th overall with her throw of 37 feet 7.75 inches!
High Jump
Altoona Middle School Track Championships hosted their annual High Jump competition this past Saturday, featuring students from numerous area schools competing. Grant Miller from Punxsy won with an impressive 10 feet 4-inch jump, followed by Mason Nesbitt, who reached 9 feet 6 inches.
Cambria Heights’ Minyhah Easterling finished fifth overall with a distance of 37 feet, while Homer-Center’s Justley Sharp took silver by throwing 45 feet 5.75 inches.
Altoona Middle School boasts a student-teacher ratio of 13:1, which is lower than the state average of 15:1. Minority enrollment stands at 18% of students enrolled at Altoona, and proficiency rates for math and reading combined are higher than 38% (compared to 38%) (the school diversity score stands at 0.32 while poverty levels stand at just 7%).
Shot Put
At Altoona’s hosted meet, athletes from around the area competed. Girls competed against each other in Shot Put while boys also participated. Nathan Forlina from Hollidaysburg made headlines by throwing an impressive 45-foot distance for first place; only Sasha Garnett of Richland could come close. Minyhah Easterling of Glendale had great space, too, placing 5th with 37 feet distance. In discus as well, she cleared 9 feet on her first attempt.
Discuss
Punxsy’s Grant Miller won the pole vault competition at Altoona Middle School Track Championships by clearing 10-04 to win by almost an inch, with Mason Nesbitt also placing in the top five by removing 9-00.
On Saturday, athletes from schools all around the region competed against one another at an invitational hosted by Altoona. Here are some results: Delany Wisor-100m run (girls only)- 3rd Kali Stagg-Long Jump-2nd 75M hurdles-4th 200M- Camilla Cagle-400 M M-6th Keenan Keller – Discourse.