Warden students run for fun
Warden Elementary School students on their first lap of the school’s 2022 jog-a-thon fundraiser on Friday. The annual event - cancelled the last two years due to pandemic restrictions - is one of the districts largest fundraisers for student activities.
CHARLES H. FEATHERSTONE/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Warden Elementary School Principal Curtis Weber gives out instructions to elementary school students ahead of the district’s annual elementary school jog-a-thon fundraiser on Friday.
Warden Elementary School kindergarten teacher Courtney Cram (right) leads her students in a round of stretches before the start of the school’s annual jog-a-thon fundraiser on Friday.
Warden Cougar mascot Cason Cox receives a hug and gives high fives to elementary school students toward the end of Warden Elementary School’s annual jog-a-thon fundraiser. Despite only reaching the low 60s, Cox said of being in the mascot suit, “It’s hot in here.”
Warden Cougar mascot Cason Cox gives a high-five to a Warden Elementary School student near the end of the school’s annual jog-a-thon fundraiser on Friday.
WARDEN — The giant practice field outside Warden Elementary School was full of loud, boisterous and energetic students on Friday — all running like many of them have never run before.
And a number of them haven’t, actually, because despite this being the district’s ninth jog-a-thon, it’s been two years since the district’s roughly 375 elementary school students have been able to do this annual fundraiser.
“We missed the last two years due to COVID,” said Warden Elementary School Principal Curtis Weber. “Kids are really excited to be out here.”
As elementary school kids gathered by class, Weber clutched a bullhorn, ready to give instructions. It’s simple, really — kids run around the track for a half an hour, getting marks for every lap they do. Weber said lots of kids get pledges from family, neighbors and friends for every lap they can do, and that makes the Jog-a-thon one of the school district’s biggest fundraisers of the year, netting about $8,000-$10,000 for parent-teacher activities and after-school programs.
“It gets used for different school projects, assemblies, things like that,” Weber said. “Some things that the money goes for are events like Donuts with Dads and Muffins with Moms - events to bring in the community and involve the community with the school.”
The jog-a-thon, which was originally scheduled for April 15 but rescheduled because of weather, also brought a number of parents as well as a few high school cheerleaders and the school’s cougar mascot to cheer runners on, give them high-fives and encouragement.
“I’m supporting the kids out there running somewhere,” said Lili Cox, mother of two grade-school runners and a preschooler “
Cox added she likes living in a small community like Warden — The elementary school has 403 students listed as enrolled in the 2021–22 school year, according to data from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction — where many parents, teachers and kids know each other.
“We love it. It’s nice to know all the kinds and it's nice to know the teachers and see community members able to support it,” she said.
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com.
