Saratoga News

Education

Photograph by Shaminder Dulai

Redwood Middle School sixth-grader Frank Valentin gets a blast of cool mist from a spray bottle as he participates in the school's jogathon. The event is a major fundraiser for the Saratoga Education Foundation and the Saratoga Union School District.

Rain, rain goes away, so local kids jog in May

By Michele Leung

Redwood Middle School's sun-starved students will not be denied. They put their feet to work at the school's jogathon after enduring two postponements earlier in the spring because of rain.

The chance to soak up some sun and be outside at the May 5 jogathon allowed students to release some nervous energy, especially after a week of standardized tests.

"To sit at a desk quietly for a week is challenging," said Anita Schaul, a sixth-grade core teacher.

But not all students were clear on why they were running laps around the track in the back lot.

"I think it's for our sports boosters," said sixth-grader Cynthia Huang.

Wrong answer. The jogathon money doesn't go toward after-school sports but benefits the Saratoga Education Foundation and the Saratoga Union School District. SEF receives its second-biggest chunk of money from the jogathon, which asks for students to turn in a flat donation or solicit contributions based on the number of laps they complete. The phonathon in January is the foundation's biggest fundraiser. At Redwood, SEF funds a study skills class, as well as a librarian, PE and science teachers, and a counselor for social and emotional development.

"It really makes the middle-school students feel connected to the school," said Kathy Waite, one of the jogathon's parent organizers. "It makes them feel they are contributing."

Organizers were ecstatic the weather finally cooperated. Patti Workman, another organizer, said retaining and scheduling volunteers after two false starts had been a struggle. Students were also disappointed that the jogathon was postponed, she said.

But when the day finally came, students embraced their time outside.

"You can't catch me anywhere but here," said eighth-grader Josh Jue. "It's a perfect ending [to STAR testing]."

One boy ran with a hydration pack strapped to his back. Some students whizzed by their peers, and others took a leisurely jog. As the sun was beating down, many pods of students had slowed their pace down to a walk but were encouraged to pick up their feet after their own calls to go faster. One student would take off, and the rest of the pod would follow.

However, sixth-grader Neil Bruner couldn't show off how nimble and swift he could be. He hobbled along the track on his crutches.

"My arms are hurting a little bit," he said, after he completed six laps.

Students eagerly took advantage of the snacks and water along the way. Organizers purchased 2,200 bottles of water and 1,020 Popsicles. Since the jogathon was originally scheduled to go on in March, organizers had to decide where to keep the frozen snacks for an extra six weeks. But there was no need to farm them out to individual families, Waite said. Smart & Final agreed to store them in its freezers.

The snacks and water were put to good use.

"We're really hot, but people are spraying us," said sixth-grader Hannah Ma. "It's so much fun."

It wasn't just the students having fun. Teachers, joined by Superintendent Lane Weiss in his flowered-print shorts, threw Frisbees to one another, while one teacher danced to the music that was blaring. Assistant principal Alex Chapman shooed students who were lingering in the shade with his spray bottle.

An hour into the jogathon, eighth-grader Eric Jung said he and his friends were talking it slowly.

"We're walking more," he said, seeking refuge under a tree.

The jogathon would set the tone for an afternoon that promised to be even looser. As students were running, other parent organizers were setting up an inflatable slide and a dunk tank for a spirit bash that had been scheduled to mark the end of STAR testing. Immediately following the sprit bash, there was a cast party for those who were involved with the school musical Seussical.

"It's an education-free afternoon," Waite said.