Claxton Elementary hosts Boosterthon Fun Run Oct. 14

From Boosterthon Fun Run organizers:

Boosterthon Fun Run Motivates Students at Claxton Elementary School in Asheville to Put Ideas into Action
Boosterthon’s Popular Fundraising Program Raises Big Funds and Gives Students a Blueprint to Change the World

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — OCTOBER 2016 — Claxton Elementary School in Asheville will host a Boosterthon Fun Run event on Friday, October 14, culminating a nine-day program that raises much-needed funds for Claxton Elementary School and inspires students to live healthy, character-filled lives. Students will run, on average, 30 to 35 laps together to themed music at the school’s most-anticipated event of the year. This year’s Boosterthon character theme is “Backyard Box Office,” which will introduce more than 1.3 million students in 1,900 schools across the nation to five real-life, inspiring students, whose world-changing ideas will prepare today’s youth to implement their own ideas.

“In our 15 years of serving schools, we’ve met incredible students with amazing ideas,” says Chris Carneal, Boosterthon founder and president. “As a father of four, I know that young students don’t always know how to make their ideas happen. Backyard Box Office changes that. It celebrates five kid-leaders who have put their ideas into action, and it gives the students watching a clear path to do the same.”

To provide schools with a premier character education program, Boosterthon teamed up with CHARACTER COUNTS!, the nation’s most popular and effective youth-development program. As collaborative partners, Boosterthon worked closely with CHARACTER COUNTS! to integrate their researched-backed strategies and 20 CHARACTER COUNTS! lessons into the Backyard Box Office video series that showcases five kid difference-makers dedicated to improving others’ lives.

• Find A Need – Aidan Thomas Hornaday (founder of the non-profit, AidanCares)
• Write A Plan – Connor Ford (inventor of the app, Spirit, which increases school engagement)
• Rally A Team – Alex Triestman (founder of Brickshare, a LEGO-sharing organization for less fortunate kids)
• Launch It Now – Trisha Prabhu (inventor of the app, ReThink, with cyber-bullying prevention technology)
• Grit It Out – Winter Vinecki (youngest person to run a marathon on each continent and Olympic Winter games hopeful)

In addition to the character theme, Boosterthon’s cutting-edge fundraising program helps schools raise 70 percent more than alternative fundraisers. To maximize the funds raised, schools select their preferred service level: Boosterthon Live, Boosterthon Event, or Fun Run You, a school-led innovation of the popular program. Each level includes its own sliding-scale pricing structure so the more a school raises, the more it keeps.

The most exciting addition to the Boosterthon Fun Run program this year is the return of its famous “Student Star video.” Boosterthon is the first company in its industry to use this revolutionary technology, which allows parents to cast their child as the star in a short film by uploading his or her picture at funrun.com. Parents can then share their customized video to ask friends and family for support in a fun and light way. Families who create and share their video raise an additional $90 compared to those who do not.

“Parents are busier than ever, and schools are dreaming bigger for their students’ education,” says Carneal. “That’s why we love creating fun resources like our Student Star video that make connecting with sponsors effortless, while increasing school funding year after year. It’s a win-win.”

As part of the experience, Boosterthon will host a giveback initiative this year called “A Million Students Strong,” which leverages the collective impact of more than 1 million students by donating meals to Feeding America food banks in local communities. Every time a class reaches $30 per lap, Boosterthon will provide three meals to local individuals in need. Boosterthon’s goal is to provide 160,000 meals across the country and raise awareness about hunger in U.S. communities.

For more information about this year’s theme, the Student Star video, “A Million Students Strong” or bringing the Boosterthon Fun Run to your community, visit www.boosterthon.com.