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Running
fun,
but cash is key |
Students raise dollars that will pay for everything
from field trips to software |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
|
The names are colorful.
The Dolphin Dash, the Lion Walk, or more simply, the Fun Run. But the
students and parents involved are interested in the same thing — raising money to
help fund items and services needed for schools.
Valerie Bryant, Fun Run coordinator at Antonia Crater Elementary, said that
school’s jog-a-thon is a safe and fun way for kids to get involved.
“Students can show support and earn money for their schools,” she
said.
The amount raised varies from year to year, she said, and is used to fund
assemblies and field trips for the kids. It is also collected for special class projects
like the school’s climbing wall, music classes, playground improvements, computer
programs and to make up for budget cuts.
“We never really set a goal,” she said.
Everyone runs as long as it’s dry. Kindergarten students run for 20
minutes, first- through third-grade students run for 30 minutes and fourth- and
fifth-grade students jog along for 45 minutes.
The event begins early and students run all day with a break from 11 a.m. to
1 p.m.
“If it’s raining too hard we’ll use the gym and undercover
playground ...,” Bryant said.
According to Lion’s Walk chairperson and parent volunteer, Marlene
Grant, Mabel Rush students try to raise an average of $18,000 to $20,000 in its
fund-raiser.
“All kids, about 470 give or take five or six,” she said,
participate in the walk.
On average, kids walk about six to eight laps to raise the money. However,
most people donate a flat rate to the runners instead of paying the a dollar figure per
lap.
The money goes back to the kids, Grant said, and helps pay for programs that would
have eliminated by budget cuts, such as art and literature classes, a science lab, library
enrichment and special assemblies.
The money, “gives them more programs that they wouldn’t be able to
get through the school district because of the funding shortage,” she said.
“Most of the money goes toward field trips that wouldn’t be possible without
it.”
Field trips include rides to OMSI, visits to Bonneville Dam, and a day spent
at a pioneer school.
“Each class does some something different,” she said. The
fifth-grade class goes to outdoor school and some are treated to an overnight field trip
to the Oregon coast.
According to Doug Pugsley, a parent volunteer at Edwards elementary, students
there raised nearly $20,000 this year.
“Without the pledges, donations and sponsorships, many Edwards’
students would not experience the symphony, the Portland Art Museum, or a highly
successful outdoor school program. The playground would slowly become nothing but bare
grass as the older equipment breaks down or becomes unsafe,” Pugsley said. “The
library would have fewer books and fewer classrooms would have computers integrated into
the curriculum.”
Pugsley added that much of the money raised came from donations and
sponsorships, as well as a lot of help from volunteer parents and community members.
According to Jaymi Feildhouse, parent volunteer at Dundee Elementary, the
event raised $19,600 as of Friday and “we still have money coming in.”
As incentive to the students, she said, “if the students were able to
raise at least $19,500, each class gets to choose a sundae topping and treat (principal
Shannon Stueckle) like a principal sundae.”
The money raised will fund assemblies, an artist in residence this spring,
outdoor school for fifth-grade students and January grants for teachers.
January grants provide teachers with classroom items no longer provided by
the school due to budget cuts. For example, the money provided a PE teacher last year with
wrestling mats and hula hoops.
Any money over and above projected the $19,500, Feildhouse said, will be
split between math programs and technology programs to purchase computer software and
manipulatives for the kids.
Students at Ewing Young Elementary raised $12,500 for assemblies and field
trips, as well. |
|
From Oct. 29,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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