Fun Run To Inspire Cumming Classmates to 'Be Friends, Don’t Bully'

Coal Mountain Elementary School students in Cumming will join hundreds of thousands of their counterparts across the country for a Boosterthon Fun Run, set for Thursday, Sept. 26. 

The Boosterthon Fun Run is a 9-day program that raises local schools needed funds for education while inspiring students to live healthy, character-filled lives, according to the press release. This school year, Boosterthon’s new character theme, Camp High Five, will challenge 700,000 students in 22 states to move from classmates to friends with a summer camp theme all about friendship.

“Our team motivates students across the country to get excited about fitness, leadership and character,” Boosterthon founder and president Chris Carneal said in the release. “We love watching schools exceed their financial goals with our program, but what really fires us up is developing leaders at the elementary-school level.”

The Camp High Five theme includes daily character lessons that teach the value of respecting others, not bullying, and showing sportsmanship. Each lesson is paired with a daily hand gesture that helps make it memorable. The message is also reinforced through a curriculum that includes interactive character videos, catchy songs, and a brand-new children’s book.

Boosterthon has also launched two new resources schools can use all year. The Boost Fit Challenge is a 25-episode fitness DVD series designed to make fitness fun for kids. Using simple exercises, students can “workout” with the Boosterthon Team in their classroom for an entire year. In addition to fitness, students can continue developing their character with the Boosterthon Content App. This free app is jam-packed with all the Camp High Five character resources including music, videos, books, and more.

This year, Boosterthon’s 1,000 partner-schools will link arms to fight hunger in America through Boosterthon’s giving initiative, High Five Meal Drive. Partnering with the non-profit Feeding America, Boosterthon will donate five meals for every student who reaches the giveback reward level. Approximately 275,000 meals will be donated this school year to American families in need.

For more than 40 years, schools relied on traditional product-sale fundraisers. Founded in 2001, Boosterthon quickly reinvented the industry. Today, students are not selling products door-to-door. Instead they benefit from a fun, interactive program that impacts schools and develops leaders. On average, Boosterthon Fun Run schools increase their profits by 70 percent compared to traditional product-sale fundraisers. 

“We know that by investing in the next generation and teaching students to be a friend, everyone wins,” said Carneal. “There isn’t a more enthusiastic gesture to communicate friendship than a high five. Our Camp High Five theme inspires students to be a friend to someone around them. We think this is a big part in building healthier and safer school communities.”

Boosterthon’s commitment to education funding while providing quality character resources enables its team to change the world one student and one leader at a time.