Buena Vista Elementary School teachers marked the number of laps run by each student during Friday's Boosterthon Fun Run at the school.At the end of the time, parents joined their children on the field for one last lap.

Buena Vista Elementary School hosts Fun Run

Kaelyn Cashman's picture

Buena Vista Elementary held its sixth annual Boosterthon Fun Run last Friday, concluding a nine-day program to raise funds to complete the school’s playground and inspire healthy living.

“Every student gets to run,” said Andrew Moore, program director at Boosterthon. Students ran around 35 laps together to themed music after seeking sponsors the prior week to give pledges for each lap run. Rules included being safe, getting a cup of water every five laps and stopping to get a mark from a teacher after each lap.

Parents came out to cheer on their children with the second and third grades running first, kindergarten and first grades next and fourth and fifth grades last. This year’s Boosterthon character theme was Backyard Box Office, which introduced more than 1.3 million students in 1,900 schools across the nation to five real-life, inspiring students, whose world-changing ideas prepare today’s youth to implement their own ideas.

“In our 15 years of serving schools, we’ve met incredible students with amazing ideas,” said Chris Carneal, Boosterthon founder and president. “And as a father of four, I know that young students don’t always know how to make their ideas happen. Backyard Box Office changes that. It celebrates five kid-leaders who have put their ideas into action, and it gives the students watching a clear path to do the same.”

To provide schools with a character education program, Boosterthon teamed up with Character Counts. As collaborative partners, Boosterthon worked closely with Character Counts to integrate their researched-backed strategies and 20 Character Counts lessons into the Backyard Box Office video series that showcases five kid difference-makers dedicated to improving others’ lives.

Find A Need - Aidan Thomas Hornaday (founder of the non-profit, AidanCares)

Write A Plan - Connor Ford (inventor of the app, Spirit, which increases school engagement) R

ally A Team - Alex Triestman (founder of Brickshare, a LEGO-sharing organization for less fortunate kids)

Launch It Now - Trisha Prabhu (inventor of the app, ReThink, with cyber-bullying prevention technology)

Grit It Out - Winter Vinecki (youngest person to run a marathon on each continent and Olympic Winter games hopeful)

In addition to the character theme, Boosterthon’s cutting-edge fundraising program helps schools raise 70 percent more than alternative fundraisers. To maximize the funds raised, schools select their preferred service level: Boosterthon Live, Boosterthon Event, or Fun Run You, a school-led innovation of the popular program. Each level includes its own sliding-scale pricing structure so the more a school raises, the more it keeps. The most exciting addition to the Boosterthon Fun Run program this year is the return of its famous “Student Star video.”

Boosterthon is the first company in its industry to use this revolutionary technology, which allows parents to cast their child as the star in a short film by uploading his or her picture at funrun.com. Parents can then share their customized video to ask friends and family for support in a fun and light way. Families who create and share their video raise an additional $90 compared to those who do not.

“Parents are busier than ever, and schools are dreaming bigger for their students’ education,” said Carneal. “That’s why we love creating fun resources like our Student Star video that make connecting with sponsors effortless, while increasing school funding year after year. It’s a win-win.”

As part of the experience, Boosterthon will host a giveback initiative this year called “A Million Students Strong,” which leverages the collective impact of more than 1 million students by donating meals to Feeding America food banks in local communities. Every time a class reaches $30 per lap, Boosterthon will provide three meals to local individuals in need.

Boosterthon’s goal is to provide 160,000 meals across the country and raise awareness about hunger in U.S. communities. For more information about this year’s theme, the Student Star video, “A Million Students Strong” or having a Boosterthon Fun Run, visit www.boosterthon.com.

The Boosterthon Fun Run is a national fundraising program that promotes fitness, leadership, and character and partners with more than 1,900 schools each year. Since its founding in 2001, Boosterthon has raised schools more than $150 million and re-imagined an industry that relied on students selling products door-to-door. Through Boosterthon, students benefit from a fun, interactive program that makes a positive impact on schools and develops leaders. On average, Boosterthon Fun Run schools increase profits by 70 percent compared to traditional product-sale fundraisers.

kaelyn@greercitizen.com | 877-2076

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