The Walk-A-Thon
Walking in circles has never been more entertaining.
The Corpus Christi School Walk-A-Thon is one of the most monumental events of the school year for just about anyone. For 38 years, this event has been like Christmas morning mixed with a hearty dose of disguised athleticism; an ideal setup for children and parents alike. The Walk-A-Thon, often shortened to WAT, is very well-rounded in terms of activities. Kids have the opportunity to drench their teachers with just the toss of a basketball and/or take home a delicious cake, while parents can replace those already-lost uniform sweatshirts and even get some Parent Involvement hours.
Although there are so many things to do at the WAT, the most common thing you will see people doing is walking. The point of the Walk-A-Thon is for each student to gather pledges, either from relatives or neighbors or someone else they know well, and earn a certain amount of money per lap that they walk. Their reward: a whole bunch of epic stuff. While you only start out with an Otter Pop for one lap, students can earn an awesome hair transformation with their chioce(s) of spray-on hairspray and a free dress pass after walking a certain amount of laps or raising a certain amount of money. If you go the extra mile (no pun intended), you might even get a mention on the “We Walked Our Feet Off” plaque in front of the principal’s office.
Fundraising and games aside, the Walk-A-Thon has a special magic in the sense that it brings students together. Every year, regardless of how careless or introverted you think a student might be, you will find them at 11am on a mid-October Saturday wearing a WAT t-shirt with a paper lap-tracking chart attached. It’s a genius way to simultaneously raise money and get people to show their school spirit. Additionally, if you were to visit the Walk-A-Thon, chances are you would notice upperclassmen interacting with younger students. This is a fantastic way to get younger kids to feel more comfortable with school events, and it heightens the probability that they, in turn, will learn to reflect the spirit and generosity modeled for them by the older students.
In conclusion, the Walk-A-Thon is a fun and important experience that makes an impact in its own special way, which is what’s kept it going for so long.