THOUSAND OAKS : School Raises Funds With Jog-A-Thon

He wasn’t faster than a speeding bullet, but Manzanita Elementary School Principal Phil Parish looked the part in a purple-and-yellow “Super Jogger” costume he donned for the school’s fourth annual fund-raising Jog-A-Thon on Wednesday.

All 555 students at the Thousand Oaks school solicited pledges for each lap they made around an 1/8-mile circular track. Organizers expected to raise more than $8,000 for school supplies.

Students alternately walking and speeding around the course for half an hour at a time frequently offered high-fives to their fearless leader, playing the super-hero role right down to the cape and a mask worn over eyeglasses.

“They’ve seen me make a fool of myself at other times,” Parish said.

Running laps for donations is a unique way for students to earn dollars for the classroom and build school spirit at the same time, Parish said.

“We think it’s healthier than selling candy, for example,” Parish said.

Separated into three groups according to age, students had 30 minutes to race around the track while parent volunteers recorded each completed lap.

“Let’s try to run the whole time,” said an earnest Heidi Stohlman, 7, running and holding the hand of her 8-year-old friend, Mallory Gonpert.

Minutes later, the pair had slowed to a walk to regain their energy with about 15 minutes to go.

“I’m going to die,” a still-jogging passerby shouted.

Money raised in the jog-a-thon pays to bring special cultural events to the school and to buy supplies, Parish said.