BRE raises funds and gets kids moving
Article and photo by Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Tim Ryckman
Fifth grade students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) started the first round of running at this year’s fun run fundraiser. Students were cheered on by administrators, teachers, parents and Rock Canyon High School cheerleaders. Students raised $53,875, much more than the $40,000 school-wide goal. Fundraiser monies are for new and additional curriculum materials and programs.
Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) spent the first quarter of the school year preparing and then participating in a fun run fundraiser. BRE physical education teacher Coach Kelli Weinreich sponsored a weekly before-school run club for any student and staff who wanted to participate. Runners and walkers met on Tuesdays for a month to practice. The preparatory course was longer than the 1/16 of a mile used for the fun run. Students earned plastic charms for each lap they completed during the early morning practices.
All students participated in the fun run fundraiser. They earned money through flat-rate donations or from pledges per lap. Once in the fun run, many students from the run club were excited to watch their lap tallies outpace those from the longer practice course.
Rock Canyon High School cheerleaders and their Jaguar mascot helped cheer the students along as they ran laps around the BRE field. BRE specials teachers sprayed students with water guns as they ran past. Principal Murdock-Jacoway and Weinreich took turns pushing the students in wheelchairs. Each grade ran independently from the rest, so the party-like atmosphere lasted most of the day.
BRE Principal Jen Murdock-Jacoway runs with second grade students during the school’s recent fun run fundraiser. Mrs. Chastain’s second grade class tied with Mrs. Rumminger’s kindergarten class for “most class spirit” during the run.
When the totals were tallied, BRE was delighted to raise $10,000 more than their $40,000 goal. Collectively, the students ran more than 12,000 laps and over 750 miles – about the distance from Castle Pines to Las Vegas. All classes vied for the honor of best class spirit. Mrs. Rumminger’s kindergarten and Mrs. Chastain’s second grade classes won the honor and a class hamster ball party.
In addition to the hamster ball parties, prizes like extra recess for Mrs. Hartman’s fourth graders, inflatable obstacle races and the hydroblast class-wide water fight were in conjunction with school field day. Students participated in relay races and outdoor cooperative games, while parent volunteers helped run games and races and herd excited kids from each activity to the next.
Students enjoyed the warm fall weather as they spent half of their school day outside. This year’s field day theme was the Olympics. Each class chose a country to represent and dressed in the colors from their country’s national flag.
Wearing red and white to represent Japan, fifth grade student Caleb M. participates in a relay race with his class during BRE’s field day. Field day was held in conjunction with prize day for the fun run fundraiser. Students spent half the day outside competing against one another in the Olympic-themed field day activities.
