Students from Romero Elementary, Gustine Elementary and Volta Elementary came together this spring for the Romero Invitational Games, an annual event designed to give rural schools a day of friendly competition, teamwork and community connection.
Romero coach Frank Rivas said the event was created to unite students, parents and teachers from small campuses while giving children something positive to anticipate each year.
“The Romero Invitational Games were created to bring together students, parents, and teachers from small rural schools to build connections beyond their individual communities,” Rivas said. “The event gives students something to look forward to each spring while encouraging both individual competition and teamwork.”
Each school brought 30 students — 15 boys and 15 girls — with fourth and fifth graders eligible to compete. Rivas said the excitement spreads across all grade levels, with younger students cheering on older siblings, cousins and classmates.
Students participated in several track‑and‑field‑style events, including the 50‑yard dash, 100‑yard dash, 220‑yard dash, 4x100 relay, 500‑yard shuttle, long jump, standing broad jump and softball throw. Each event included divisions for boys and girls.
For many students, the Romero Games have become one of the most anticipated days of the school year.
“The students love Romero Games. It’s what they look forward to every year,” Rivas said.
While competition is part of the day, Rivas said the purpose extends far beyond winning. The event gives students a chance to build confidence, measure their improvement and feel the support of their school communities.
“It brings everyone together, and whether we win or lose, at the end of the day we always win because we have a supportive community,” he said.
Rivas said one of the highlights was seeing students from all three schools take pride in their hard work. Many had spent weeks preparing, and the event gave them a chance to see how far they had come.
“That day was filled with many special moments,” he said. “I was incredibly proud not only of our school, but of the other two schools as well.”
The Romero Invitational Games also serve students who may not have access to youth sports outside their communities. Rivas noted that some families face challenges traveling to Gustine or Los Banos for sports programs, making school‑based activities especially meaningful.
“Some of our students do not have the opportunity to participate in city youth sports,” he said. “The Romero Invitational Games provide a valuable opportunity for all students to experience teamwork, competition and school pride.”
For the students, staff and families who took part, the event was more than a day of races and field events — it was a celebration of perseverance, teamwork and the close‑knit spirit of rural schools.
