POTSDAM -- Students at Lawrence Elementary held their Olympics Field Days event this past week, kicking off with a parade and torch-lighting ceremony.

The event, which takes place every four years at the school, gives students the opportunity to compete against each other in educational events.

During the parade, each class chose a country to represent, recreating a national flag and learning facts about their selected nation. Marchers carried their signs and banners, along with an Olympic ring display and torch from the bus circle, down Lawrence Avenue, Clinton and Leroy streets, into the gym parking lot, past the bleachers and onto the turf field.

At the field, opening remarks were given by principal Jennifer Gray, the national anthem performed, a speech was delivered by Potsdam mayor Ron Tischler and the torch lit, followed by the reciting of the Olympic Oath and Creed.

Competitive events began on June 6 with the fourth grade, and continued with the other grades on the following Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Tuesday.

See slide show here.