The 2023 Roberts Fun Run

The Fun and Fundraising

BY JIYA PAREKH

THE FUN

“Three, Two, One… Go!” We sped off and ran as an air of joy and excitement surrounded one of Roberts’s most important events, THE FUN RUN.

Weeks before the Fun Run, you can see the excitement increasing. Each class was determined to raise the most money after watching a video encouraging student participation. The whole school chit-chatted about nothing but Fun Run. No one could wait for the big event!

The PTO hosted Fun Run on April 12, 2023. There was a beautiful balloon archway to enter the track, and our PTO decorated the blacktop area with red and white balloons. There were two tracks for different grades to run on at the same time. Every class held a name or sign, such as Vuong’s Vortex or Ms. Goldsmith’s Golden Cookies. Along with the signs, there were objects such as crowns, headbands, and t-shirts that students wore to represent their class.

During the Fun Run, there was a sense of energy and activity. The music kept everyone motivated to run or walk and keep going. Occasionally, there were certain laps where you could skip, jump, or run with friends.

Many parents joined us to watch and motivate the kids to run with cheers and shouts

On the last few laps of the Fun Run, the teachers joined us holding the class signs. For the last few laps, we had a super speed run, a cooldown jog, and then finally, a walking lap to end Fun Run.

At the end of the event, students got to pick out snacks, juice, treats, and water from the snack table and go over to the shaded blacktop area to escape the heat.

After a refreshing break under the blacktop, everyone headed back to their classes talking energetically about Fun Run.

The Fundraising

Roberts’s students collect donations – flat amounts and dollars per lap. For example, if a mom donated $2 per lap, and the student completes 35 laps, your total donation would be $70. The funds we raised this year will repair our fallen-tree area where fifth graders assemble before school.

Fundraising is a competition among the classes, and whoever raises the most money gets a big prize, “Slime Ms. Epps.” Smaller class prizes included a technology day and a pajama day. There were individual prizes, too, such as Pop-its, tie-dye shoelaces, or even a scooter dependent on how much money you raised.

I interviewed Ms. Marisa Botros to find out more about Fun Run fun and fundraising. She has been Fun Run Chair since 2017. In her time at Roberts, she was also PTO president, Culture of Giving Chair, Auction Chair, and more. She amazed me with her dedication and all the work she has done for Roberts all these years.

“The Fun Run has been going on since 2015, and each year has been more successful than the previous year,” said Ms. Botros. “This year our goal was $100,000, and we raised higher than that. Each year, I set a higher goal, and we raise more than our goal. This is impossible without the support from all of you,” Botros said. Wondering how we use these funds at RE? Each year the funds help us accomplish school goals. Botros confirmed that this year the fifth-grade deck would be “rebuilt and renewed. Yay!” with Fun Run funds. Any remaining funds would help with improvements all around the school.

During Fun Run each year, the students try to get donations from each of the 50 states in the United States. “We even completed the 50-state challenge this year, which has been completed only one other time: the first Fun Run, 2015. On top of that, our school received donations from 29 different countries, too,” Botros proudly reported.

With all that fundraising, only one class would have the opportunity to slime Ms. Epps – Ms. Luera’s third-grade class. They raised the highest amount, $13,000. Congratulations!

Fun Run is an important part of the fun and fundraising efforts at Roberts. And for the past six years, we could not have done it without Ms. Marisa Botros. And, with that type of commitment, I knew that she must be really passionate about Roberts and would miss being here. “I love Roberts. I love International Festival. I love our community, the smiling faces, laughing kids, the teachers, Ms. Epps, and I love and will miss everything about Roberts.” said Botros.

Thanks to Ms. Botros, and all the best to Ms. Jennifer Patrick, who is taking over Fun Run next year.

The Fun Run is true to its name: a fun and important fundraising event that benefits us and our very beloved IB school - Roberts Elementary!