Teri Bowlin, preK-5 principal, is splashed with colorful confetti by Abram Shipley and Kreighton Vos. Mrs. Bowlin offered to be doused in confetti and glitter as an incentive for students to raise $20,000.
A beautiful May 8 Friday afternoon was made even brighter when Lynnville-Sully K-5 students learned their efforts – with generous help from family, friends, and area businesses – raised just over $20,000 for the annual Lynnville-Sully Community Education Foundation Walkathon.
The afternoon outdoor assembly near the track kicked off with K-5 teachers competing in a friendly race of Connect Four with students cheering them on from the football bleachers.
When the curtain was raised on the Walkathon’s fundraising thermometer – whose fundraising “mercury” had been rising for the last several weeks – the grand total brought in from family, friends, and businesses reached $19,997, just short of the fundraising goal. LSCEF Director Kyra Smith, who reports this year’s Walkathon marks the best year of donations from family and friends, enlisted the crowd’s help to bridge the $3 gap. She was not disappointed with the response. L-S teachers Mrs. Mary Rucker and Mrs. McKenzee Downing each had $1 to spare, and L-S staff member Cayden Johnson gave $3 from his pocket. Perhaps the most generous donation was the unexpected gift from L-S third-grader Walker Sutton. When the crowd was asked if anyone had money to spare to reach the $20,000 goal, Sutton offered up $1, pushing the grand total to $20,003.
Cheers erupted from the young crowd after learning they reached the $20,000 goal, which not only meant valuable funds for the school, but also translated into Mrs. Bowlin being covered in glitter and confetti. As she has in years past, Mrs. Bowlin agreed to the crazy antics the LSCEF thought of if the goal was met. In years past, Mrs. Bowlin has been turned into an ice cream sundae, sprayed with silly string, duct taped to a wall, and so much more. This year for meeting the $20,000 goal, students added a lot of color and sparkle to Mrs. Bowlin.
Mrs. Bowlin donned a rain poncho that was doused with spray adhesive. Then, one student from every class that participated in the fundraising efforts took turns accessorizing.
Additional incentives were awarded: Fifth-grade teacher Mrs. McKenzee Downing and kindergarten teacher Mrs. Shannon Bennington received $100 to go towards their classroom for having the class that raised the most money. Mrs. Downing’s fifth graders and Mrs. Jessica Winegar’s fourth graders will soon celebrate with an ice cream party for recording 100% participation.
Following the assembly and glitter bombing of Mrs. Bowlin, students took turns by grade walking, running, and jumping their way around the track with Connect Four, balance beams, and tubes on the track making the laps fun and interesting. Students were treated to a cookie made by Norma Beerends of Sweet Creations and a Gatorade before going back to the classroom.
“Each year we are hopeful to raise enough funds to reach our goal – we are so thankful for the donors that got us SO close,” said Smith. “Students did a great job securing funds from friends and family this year, that definitely helped us get within reach of the goal as we had less business support this year. The weather was perfect, and Mrs. Bowlin was a great sport getting covered in adhesive spray and then confetti and glitter.”
