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Spotlight on Apex Fun Run

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Raising money seems to be as much a part of our students’ curriculum as reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic. As governmental cuts force schools to look for ways to plug budget holes, children and parents are finding that the three Rs have now morphed into four. Far too often, kids carry home another request for selling products that you don’t need but feel you’re compelled to purchase and peddle to your neighbors, friends and relatives.

 

Sarah Powell, Kansas City area director, Apex Fun Run, is out to change that with a fascinating way of raising funds for schools. It takes the burden off the educators, PTO/As and parents, while building leadership skills for the students. Apex Fun Run is composed of pro and collegiate athletes who promote fitness and leadership to elementary school students and help them raise money. It’s built on the premise that “Every Child Can Change Their School, Their Community and The World in a Profound Way.”

 

Change for the Good

“Our two-week program teaches valuable character lessons and culminates in a large fun run event. “Typically, we raise about 75 percent more for schools than traditional product sales, and over 50 percent more than schools raise with their own run,” noted Sarah. “Apex Fun Run is all about leadership, fitness and fundraising that makes a difference. We’re focused on building leaders, one kid at a time.”

 

Apex Fun Run was founded in 2011 by a teacher in Arizona who was frustrated by the fact she was spending her own money for classroom supplies. She also understood that another way was needed to help students, the schools and parents. “Our founder realized that teachers have so much going on and resources are strapped. She wanted to give schools the ability to fundraise but in a powerful way,” Sarah remarked. “Each year the company puts together a fresh leadership team and curriculum with the purpose to reach kids; we’re not just a fundraising program.”

 

Focus on Leadership

The Apex Fun Run program lasts about two weeks. Three to four representatives, or Athletes, as they’re called, take eight days, spending six to eight minutes every day teaching each classroom about a leadership theme. This year students will focus on the DREAM Team. Every day the Athletes will review the meaning of each letter: D-Dive in; R-resourceful; E-elevating others; A-attitude check; and M-make a difference. On the last day, the program culminates in a fun run in which students have solicited pledges for every lap.

 

“Each child runs 26 to 36 laps on a track that’s 1/16 of mile long,” revealed Sarah. “They’ll come out by grade, do some stretching with the Athletes and then run. Along the way they might go through inflatable tunnels, around flags or other fun things. If they want to, they can run more. “An amazing kid at Sunflower Elementary, Dante, ran 82 laps even though the fundraising component of the race is capped at 36.” What a rock star! When a child runs their laps, a DJ calls out their name and asks them to elevate another classmate by helping them to finish.”

 

While it may seem that this is an outdoor event that could be limited by uncooperative weather, Sarah says there’s no bad time for a fun run. Fun Runs can occur outside for about six months in Kansas City but the program can be tailored for gyms. Over the last year, Sarah and her team have brought the Apex Fun Run to the DeSoto, Raymore-Peculiar, Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley school districts. Later this year, the program will also be serving Olathe and Lee’s Summit.

 

Turning Fundraising on Its Ear

Not only does the Apex Fun Run provide a great leadership learning opportunity for kids, it’s incredibly successful as a fund raiser. For many schools, multiple solicitations for donations have now been boiled down to just one ask for funding, easing the burden for everyone. “You can raise far more money with Apex than with any other fundraiser,” Sarah stated. “In other programs, only 25 to 30 percent of the money raised actually stays with the school; the rest goes to the company running the program.”

 

Also easing the burden for parents and the educators is that the Apex Fun Run process is highly automated, which saves time and effort for all stakeholders. It also allows students to electronically solicit donations from friends and family across the nation. The Apex Fun Run is very flexible and can be modeled to meet the needs of smaller schools and parochial schools. In addition, ten percent of the funds each school raises goes back to that school’s teacher budget to use for supplies or field trips.

 

With Apex Fun Run, all students are embraced and taught they have value. It’s an incredible program that can bring in money for our schools, take the burden off the parents and teachers, lessen the need to ask the community for dollars and share leadership lessons with kids. It’s a fantastic way to get the focus back on the three Rs. HLM

 

Interested? email SarahP@ApexFunRun.com, call 913.788.1150, or visit ApexFunRun.com for more information.