Walk for Education a Success!!!
October 23, 2007
Fun,
food, friends and fund raising. We have just completed the
annual North Platte Public Schools walk for education, “Students
Steppin’ Out for Education”. The date of the event was
October 12th and the walk took place right before the
final home football game for the North Platte Bulldawgs.
Co-chairmen for the walk were Rich Simmons and Kyle Gifford.
The event benefits the thirteen schools in the North Platte Public
Schools District.
This is a student-focused event and brings together students district-wide. All students in the district and their families were invited to participate. The walk took place at the High School and students walked around the perimeter of the high school campus. Students and families were encouraged to walk together with their schools. Students created signs, developed special school-specific cheers and wore t-shirts with their school logos. The evening highlight is the final home football game held the same night.
North Platte Public Schools Foundation developed the idea of students walking for their schools and has facilitated the event for the past three years. In 2007, over 400 students K-12 participated and raised over $7,200 for their schools. This outstanding event was recognized at the National School Foundations Association national convention where Smith was asked to speak.
“All of the money raised by the students goes directly back to the schools.” Said Rich Simmons, event co-chairperson, “We distribute half of the money directly back to the schools in the district equally and the other half goes to the students through REACH grants to teachers.” The money that the schools receive in past years has helped to purchase books, reading incentives, bring in special speakers, purchased age-specific technology and equipment. Many of the schools use these funds from the walk to do the extras that tax dollars can’t fund. Many schools involve the students in identifying how the money will be spent that they receive for the year.
REACH Grants are funds for teachers to develop innovative learning strategies for their students. This program is administered through NPPS Foundation and is instrumental in many of the programs that are in the schools currently. These research-based programs are presented to a committee that reviews the applications submitted by teachers throughout the district. In the past nine years of funding grants to teachers, NPPS Foundation has provided $85,500 in educational assistance through the REACH grants program. Since a portion of the funds for REACH Grants come through donations received by student walkers, the students have a direct impact on the programs that are able to be funded each year. REACH Grants have helped students at all grade levels and in nearly every school throughout our district.
“This walk is a terrific opportunity for the schools to create school spirit within their schools and come together as a district to celebrate. There are so many positive aspects of this walk it is hard to list them all.”, added Smith. “The students benefit from the educational programs that walk fund raising makes possible. We are proud as a Foundation to be able to help our schools in this way.” Costs of putting the event together are covered by corporate sponsors. This year corporate sponsors are TierOne, Great Plains Regional Medical Center and First National Bank.
This year, like in 2006, dollars that students raise were matched by generous donors like States Family Practice, McPherron Skiles & Loop, Adams Bank and Trust, Valley Appraisal Associates, Kellie & Bernie Golden, Hampton Inn, First National Bank Wealth Management Group, Willis & Greta Roethemeyer, Snell Services, Darrel & Frances Smith, States Dental Clinic, Wilkinson Development, Kosmacek Construction and Coldwell Banker Preferred Group. Each of these families or businesses is paired with a school in the fund raising effort. Each dollar that the students raise is matched up to a set sponsor threshold.
Student participants earn prizes and take place in a Bulldawg tailgate party. Prizes underwritten in part by Scott & Sherry French included Bulldawg bobble heads, Boom Boom sticks, Bulldawg pennants and stadium cups. Students with the top sponsorships from each school receives a $100 savings bond donated by Wells Fargo, First National Bank, NebraskaLand National Bank, Bank of the West and Adams Bank and Trust. Some walkers received Husker Volleyball tickets and other prizes by random drawing.
All students that walk share in a hotdog meal as part of the education pep rally and tailgate party. Making this student tailgate possible are Kwik Stop, Sodexho and State Senator Tom Hansen and his wife Linda. The giggles and smiles during the picnic tell the story about why the students look forward to this event every year. They also get to attend the home football game free that night if they are accompanied by an adult. Many of the elementary students attend their first Bulldawg football game as part of this walk event.