Northwestern marketing class to host glow run for Special Olympics of Howard County

Kokomo Tribune - 5/7/2018

May 07--A group of Northwestern High School marketing students are gearing up for a big final project: a glow run.

Thirteen students in Mr. Aaron Gilmore's Marketing II class have been working to organize a glow run to benefit the local community since early April. It's that same real-world experience that makes students love his classes.

"Mr. Gilmore is definitely one of the students' favorite teachers at Northwestern," said senior Mia Wallace, project manager for the glow run. "He really believes in project-based learning and he teaches us life skills that we would actually use, instead of just learning something for a test."

The 26-student class split into two groups to plan a fundraising event.

While brainstorming ideas, Mia and her assistant project manager Jaimy Lelonde knew that fundraising runs have been successful in the past. A previous marketing class held a cancer walk a couple of years ago that was really well-attended.

They considered a foam or bubble run, because a traditional color run seemed overdone, but ended up deciding on the glow run.

"There's only one glow run that the Y puts on and it's only once a year," Mia said.

The marketing class's glow run called "Glow Crazy" will benefit the Special Olympics of Howard County.

Special Olympics is a nonprofit organization that empowers people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential and develop their skills through year-round sports training and competition. The Northwestern class strongly believes in that mission.

To organize the run, the class was given $100 in cash and a $50 gift card, so finding sponsors was a major part of the planning process. The ended up with eight sponsors, including coney dogs from Barkers B&K and drinks from Coca-Cola.

Starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, there will be food, glow face painting, corn hole and bounce houses for kids. The 3K run/walk will then follow at approximately 8:45 p.m. The registration fee will include a T-shirt, food and glow sticks. There will also be prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Tickets are available for $20 in advance at www.eventbrite.com, and $25 the day of the event.

The run will be held at Northwestern Senior High School, located at 3431 North 400 West, Kokomo.

After the fundraising event, the marketing students will give a presentation that includes how much money was raised and how many people attended, Jaimy said. They are hoping for around 150 to 200 runners and at least $1,000 for the Special Olympics.

For more information or to donate, email mia.wallace.33@aol.com.

Haley Church can be reached at 765-454-8580, haley.church@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter @HaleyDrewChurch.

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