SES Students Help Raise Money for their School in Wildcat Fun Run

Students from pre-k to the second grade helped raise money for their school during the 17th annual Wildcat Fun Run held Friday at Smithville Elementary School.
Dr. Bill Tanner, SES Principal, says much of the money raised this year will help support the addition of an outdoor classroom at the school for all students and teachers.” Last year we raised $33,000 with the Fun Run and we hope to do as well this year. A lot of the money will go toward this project (outside classroom), plus we’re trying to get another grant to help along with this fundraiser. The more money we can get towards our outdoor classroom, the bigger and better one we can build.”
Dr. Tanner says the Fun Run is a project of the school’s PTO. “The PTO does this. It’s their fundraiser to help us with some projects that we have during the year. This year, the idea was that we wanted to build an outdoor classroom. A lot of times when students are doing activities inside a classroom, like painting, using sand or other types of materials, it creates a mess for the janitors to have to clean up. Or they may be doing an activity where they’re real loud, but if they are outside, they are not bothering anybody else. We can also do nature studies outside and experiments. It’s not conducive sometimes to do experiments inside.”
In addition to the funds raised through the Fun Run, Dr. Tanner says the school expects to receive some donated materials and volunteer labor to help build the outdoor classroom, which could be completed by spring.
Dr. Tanner says he wants to thank all those who supported Friday’s Fun Run. “We’ve had wall to wall parents and other people out here helping with the event and it’s just been a beautiful day and a great Fun Run here at Smithville Elementary School.”
This event is held each year in an effort to raise money for the school. Students are asked to accept pledges or donations prior to the day of the run. During the Fun Run, students walk or jog on a 1/8 mile track for one hour with each lap being recorded for each student. After the event, the students then collect money from their pledges.