Canyon View Elementary: raising funds and having fun and going on a run

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

What student wouldn’t like an extra recess? Or how about a bubble class party? Or to see their principal dress up as a flying squirrel and sleep on the roof?

These may be some of the incentives Canyon View Elementary students will earn as they get online donations for their fourth annual fall fun run fundraiser, which will be held Friday, Oct. 11. The kick-off, which will feature their new dressed-up mascot, Benny the Bengal cub, was set for Monday, Sept. 30.

“We’ve always been the Canyon View Cubs, but now we have a mascot who can be running alongside or cheering on the kids,” PTA President Emily Weigel said. “It’s going to add a lot of fun and spirit to our school.”

Students, who can dress up as superheroes, will challenge themselves as they run through an obstacle course as part of their Superhero Fun Run. Each grade level will run for about 20 minutes to music on their school grounds.

“Our students and our teachers are our superheroes so this is a fun run for them. It will be a change for them to go outside, get some exercise, run with friends and have fun while earning money for the school. The kids like it and it’s great for our school spirit as people come to cheer them on,” Weigel said.

With proceeds from the run earmarked to fund teacher grants, support school technology and grade-level field trips, Weigel said the PTA has a goal of about $25,000. All donations can be made online at canyons.successfund.com/canyonviewfunrun.

“The money goes right back to the students through funding items for their classrooms, getting more Chromebooks and iPads and supporting field trips. We also will help fund grow labs, Reflections, teacher appreciation and small acts of kindness. The idea of teacher grants is to provide teachers with extra tools and resources to help them bring in what is needed in their classrooms or maybe for the teachers to concentrate on a passion to introduce to the classes, which will bring that enthusiasm for learning to our students,” she said.

Weigel said there will be incentives for students and classes to bring in funds as well. Those may include a glow-in-the-dark party or a dress-up day, or a pajama party or bagels with Benny — activities which she pointed out do not take significant money away from the donations.

“This is a lot of work, but it is worth it to keep the funds at our school to benefit our students,” she said.

Fun runs are a part of the school’s history. Former Principal Sharon Okumura, who was principal starting back in 2002, said Canyon View used to have a fun run around the neighborhood every spring.

“We mapped out the route and got Salt Lake City Police to help us with safety,” she said. “Then, Cottonwood Heights Police (helped) after they became a city. A few years after I left, they started doing the fun run in the fall as a fundraiser and they have been successful.”