Lakes, Canfield ready for Minnow Madness

COEUR d'ALENE - Teachers and principals from Lakes and Canfield middle schools will be going head-to-head on the basketball court at 6 p.m. March 13 for the third annual Minnow Madness at Lakes Magnet Middle School.

"They get bumps and bruises, and the kids love it," said event chair Lisa Aitken of Coeur d'Alene.

Minnow Madness is a spirit competition similar to the high school Fight for the Fish, where the loudest and proudest side wins the spirit trophy. But at Minnow, the teachers will be playing and the students will be doing all the cheering.

"You walk out of there and your ears are ringing," Aitken said. "But you walk away and you're super proud of the community and of the kids."

This year's theme is based on the district-wide "Stand up, Speak up" anti-bullying campaign, said Coeur d'Alene School District public information officer Laura Rumpler, who attended last year's event.

"The whole goal of Minnow Madness is to show that the two schools can be united as one," Rumpler said.

She said it goes beyond a basketball competition because it will also be a display of empowered and encouraged students and community members standing together against bullying.

Tickets will be $5 at the door. Spectators can call Lakes or Canfield to purchase $10 spirit packs, which include a T-shirt, pom poms and raffle tickets.

For more information, call Lakes at 667-4544 or Canfield at 664-9188.

Minnow Madness is a dual-fundraiser presented through the schools' parent-teacher associations, which will receive 100 percent of the proceeds to continue to elevate and enrich the students' learning environments.