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<p>KINGSTON &#8212; It was 6-year-old Landon Donovan&#8217;s first &#8220;field day,&#8221; and if it looked like his smile could span the football field, well, his parents agreed &#8212; and decided it was contagious. &#8220;If he&#8217;s happy, I&#8217;m happy,&#8221; dad Mark said, grinning. &#8220;He&#8217;s having a ball.&#8221;</p><p>A kindergarten student in Hanover Area School District, Landon was one of more than 900 students from Luzerne and Wyoming schools who came to enjoy the annual event at Wyoming Valley West stadium by the Luzerne Intermediate Unit.</p><p>&#8220;This is the day there&#8217;s ice cream for the kids,&#8221; LIU Executive Director Tony Grieco said with a laugh after the opening ceremony. &#8220;It really is the best day of the year.&#8221;</p><p>Certainly Ray Ritts agreed. The Hanover Area student smiled as district Superintendent Andrew Kuhl introduced him to Grieco.</p><p>&#8220;Tell Mr. Grieco your job at Hanover Area,&#8221; Kuhl said.</p><p>&#8220;Superintendent?&#8221; Grieco quipped.</p><p>&#8220;Co-superintendent,&#8221; Kuhl shot back.</p><p>As for Ritts, who at 21 may have been at the other end of the spectrum from Landon, seeing his last field day, he had simple praise for the event, held with the support of more than a dozen sponsors.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s wonderful!&#8221; Ritts said, beaming.</p><p>Kuhl said he comes to the event each year precisely because of all the smiles. &#8220;We have three life skills classes in the district,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They are the most wonderful group of children.&#8221;</p><p>The event offers races, a chance to toss around a ball, long jump and &#8220;Yolf&#8221; &#8212; yard golf &#8212; among other events. Everybody got a ribbon for participating in pretty much any event. Students could also simply stroll the grounds noshing free pizza, hot dogs and cotton candy.</p><p>Even a casual observer can&#8217;t miss the enjoyment floating through the air with almost every overheard comment.</p><p>&#8220;He can&#8217;t stop smiling!&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I got two ribbons!&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re going to be covered with ribbons by the end of the day&#8221;</p><p>As to Landon, in short order he was begging his mom Jessica for the camera in her purse so he could take pictures of his friends.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s really neat,&#8221; Jessica said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Emme Treloar and Sylvia Kudrako, kindergarten students at Roslund Elementary in Tunkhannock dance during the warm up of the Luzerne Intermediate Unit field day in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Emme Treloar and Sylvia Kudrako, kindergarten students at Roslund Elementary in Tunkhannock dance during the warm up of the Luzerne Intermediate Unit field day in Kingston. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lexi Habey of Nanticoke hugs her grandfather Bob Conti during opening ceremonies of field day for special education students in Kingston Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday3-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Lexi Habey of Nanticoke hugs her grandfather Bob Conti during opening ceremonies of field day for special education students in Kingston Thursday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday4-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Fairview Elementary school students race during Thursday&#8217;s field day for special education students in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday4-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Fairview Elementary school students race during Thursday&#8217;s field day for special education students in Kingston. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday5-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ian Litchkofski, a seventh grade student at Greater Nanticoke Area, is in first place running during Thursday&#8217;s field day held by the Luzerne Intermediate Unit. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday5-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Ian Litchkofski, a seventh grade student at Greater Nanticoke Area, is in first place running during Thursday&#8217;s field day held by the Luzerne Intermediate Unit. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nico Dechant, 11, hugs his dad Anthony at the annual Luzerne Intermediate Unit field day for special needs students at Wyoming Valley West stadium in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0502716fieldday1-1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Nico Dechant, 11, hugs his dad Anthony at the annual Luzerne Intermediate Unit field day for special needs students at Wyoming Valley West stadium in Kingston. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

For more than 900 children, “Field Day” is “the best day of the year”