Wellington Elementary Students Beat the Heat with Fire Department 'Splash Blast'

WELLINGTON, Kan. — Students at Washington Elementary School in Wellington traded textbooks for water games Friday as the school district partnered with the Wellington Fire Department to host a "Splash Blast" event marking the end of the first week of classes.

The outdoor celebration featured water activities designed to help students cool off during what the district described as a "long, hot first week of school." Fire department personnel set up water games on the school playground and brought a fire truck to spray water on participating children.

"If you go to Washington Elementary, I would tell you that nothing beats it!" the Wellington Public Schools said in a social media post about the event.

Students participated in various water-based activities, including slip-and-slide games on large blue tarps and tug-of-war competitions. The fire truck's hose system was used to create cooling mists for groups of children gathered on the playground.

Some teachers also joined the water activities, with several getting caught in the spray while supervising student games.

The Wellington Fire Department provided the equipment and personnel for the event as part of their community outreach efforts with local schools.

The celebration capped off the district's first week of the 2024-25 school year. Wellington Public Schools serves students in south-central Kansas.