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When pigs drive

By Estuardo Garcia - | Oct 31, 2007

In just a matter of seconds, Katelyn Waldeier, 11, and her purple pig, Hope, found themselves not only winners of a race with three other souped-up swine, but one of two new Tonganoxie Middle School principals.

Well at least principals for a day.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” Waldeier said after her pig, riding on a remote controlled monster truck, crossed the finish line in the TMS gymnasium.

On Thursday, both Waldeier and Cydney Garner, 10, won the chance to be principal for a day at the school after beating the competition in the first-ever pig race.

On Oct 19, TMS Principal Jill Dickerson put out the challenge to the students to see who could get the most magazine subscriptions as a fundraiser for student incentives and rewards.

If a student turned in at least 10 subscriptions on the second collection day of the fundraiser, they would be able to enter a mechanical pig into the race.

“When I announced the prize was going to be principal for the day, that really got the kids motivated,” Dickerson said.

As principals for the day, Dickerson said the students would help with the morning announcements and they might even get to plan a special event that day.

To win the grand prize, a student’s pig was supposed to beat Dickerson’s pig, Maggie. Maggie was named after magazines.

The pig race was divided into two races. The first race had the regular stock pigs competing for the winner’s circle. The second race had modified pigs — stuffed animals riding a remote-controlled vehicle.

While Maggie put up a good fight, in the end Mayflower beat her and the competition in a close race during the first heat.

When the second race came around, Maggie, and the rest of the racers were blown away by Waldeier’s remote-controlled monster truck.

Although Maggie didn’t win either race, Dickerson was happy with her performance, especially since she was using 2-week-old batteries.

“She really ran her best,” Dickerson said. “She gave it her best shot.”

Overall the school raised more than $8,000.

Dickerson said that she greatly appreciated the community’s support of the fundraiser.

As for the pigs, they earned a well-deserved rest.

Garner said Mayflower is now happily resting in her room in a cradle that once belonged to her doll.