Benny Westcott
Sounds of fun filled the playground area at Oak Heights Elementary School on Friday, Sept. 29, as kids in grades K-6 participated in the school’s Eighth Annual Jogathon, put on by the Oak Heights Parent-Teacher Club.
The event raises money for teachers’ classroom funds at the school. Last year about $9,000 was raised. This year’s numbers were not finalized yet.
“It provides funds for end of year field trips and curriculum that they use in the classroom that maybe the budget doesn’t necessarily cover,” Event Organizer Patty Hankins said of the Jogathon. “All of this minus a small percentage that the parent teacher committee gets goes directly to these kids’ classrooms.”
There was a four-way tie for the most laps at the event, with four kids running 14 laps, which tied last year’s school record of 14. Fifth graders Emmit Greer and Tanner Tenbusch and fourth graders Brody Carr and Carter Sinclair reached the mark, which was set last year by Greer.
Hankins said that Oak Heights has a “really nice track that we keep up with wood chips” that the kids run on. Prizes were given out to the top runners and earners. The top classroom gets the commemorate it.
“They have a good time while they’re doing it,” Hankins said of the kids who participate. “And it’s very competitive.”