Elementary students walk above and beyond their goal

Superintendent Dave Versteeg announces as Principal Darin Jones receives a giant pie to the face by his elementy students. The select students won this honor by having their names drawn from the names of the entire elementary student body. (Kayla Werner photo)

by Colton Talbert

The third annual elementary school Walk-a-Thon on Friday, Oct. 14, was a huge success as the amount raised beat this year’s goal of $12,000 by more than $8,000 and set another new record for the event.

For the first Walk-a-Thon in 2009, the goal was $4,500 and the amount achieved was $18,000. The next year, last year, they raised $13,423 with a goal of $5,000. The students always exceed their goal with a large profit margin.

The elementary spent the week preparing for the Walk-a-Thon by having dress up days to show their spirit. Students wore a color representing their class on Monday, Tuesday was crazy feet day, Wednesday was sports day, Thursday was pajama day and Friday the students and staff wore their black Walk-A-Thon shirts. 

During the week, money was being raised before the walk. When the school day came to a close on Friday at 3:30, the elementary had walked past their goal with a final amount of $20,452, which exceeded their goal of $12,000 by almost double.

This amount was revealed at a pep rally on that Friday after the Walk-a-Thon. The pep rally included two teams of elementary teachers competing in a relay race. The teachers had to balance pie pans, each with two ping-pong balls, above their heads on the palm of their hands. As they hurried through a cone maze across the junior high gym, they had to try not to lose their balls. The relay ended in a tie because one team dropped a ball and the other team grabbed the pan instead of holding it in their palm.

Then it was time for the elementary students’ most highly anticipated event. With the goal met, all elementary students were entered in a drawing to pie Elementary Principal Darin Jones in the face as a reward. Seven students were drawn to lift the giant pie.  The students included Kinnick Johnson, Bryant Gregson, Olivia Moretz, Maguire DeJong, Michael DeJong, Waverly Roorda and Tia Shaeffer. 

Jones said, “The Walk-A-Thon has been a great addition to Montezuma. The donations are used to provide learning opportunities and support our students. I want to thank Montezuma and the extended Montezuma family. Your support is greatly appreciated!”

The money from the Walk-a-Thon supports events and activities for the elementary throughout the year.  Past activities supported by funds from the Walk-a-Thon include Doughnuts with Dad, Mornings with Mom, Literacy Week events such as author visits, and mystery readers, and visits to the Science Center of Iowa.  

To watch the live video of the pep rally and view Jones being pied in the face, visit http://www.ihigh.com/gozuma/video_900077.html.