Video: Marshall Road Unveils New Track

In November, students lined up around 's muddy ballfields and began to run laps, dodging puddles and potholes on what they hoped would someday be a real community track.

On Friday, thousands of miles (and dollars) later, the same students crunched through cool gray gravel as they took on their first Spring Sprint -- the inaugural run on a now completed track that earlier this year seemed far out of reach.

The project is part of the school's year-long "50 For 50" initiative, an effort to complete 50 projects that give back to the community as a celebration of its the 50th year in Vienna. As of early April, students, teachers, parents and volunteers ; nearly all 50 were in progress.

Friday's ribbon cutting added another completed project to the list.

MRES PTA President Beth Eachus said through along with other fundraising efforts, the school community raised more than $25,000 for the project. But it still wasn't quite enough. To help the school reach the total cost of the $40,000 track, Vienna Youth Inc. matched its funds to put construction in motion.

Eachus said remaining funds will be used to improve drainage and add benches, among other small fixes.

During the ceremony, which was also attended by Mayor Jane Seeman, State Del. Mark Keam and several members of the Vienna Town Council and Fairfax County School Board, Eachus and Principal Jennifer Heiges said the track wasn't only intended for use by students and staff, but also by the community at large: Runners have already started coming to the school early in the morning to make use of the space; high school students have come down to do laps on the weekend.

The track will also be used for community events and fundraisers. VYI will use the facility for its track and cross country programs.

The celebration continued Friday with a cleanup in honor of Earth Day and a birthday party later in the evening to celebrate the school's anniversary.

For a glimpse of the track kick-off event, watch the video in the media player above.