On Oct. 14, 2016, as part of Clermont Northeastern Elementary School’s annual walk-a-thon event, 17 teachers and staff volunteered to pull a school bus full of students 15 feet.
By Megan Alley
Sun staff

Teachers at Clermont Northeastern Elementary School pulled a school bus full of students 15 feet on Oct. 14 as part of the school’s annual walk-a-thon event.

“It was just awesome,” said Meg Porter, a third grade teacher at the school who participated in the pull. “I was worried we wouldn’t be able to do it, but it was awesome.”

The walk-a-thon, which is now in its 12th year, is the brainchild of Porter, who currently serves as the event’s chairperson.

This year’s fundraising initiative started on Sept. 9, when all students at the school, from kindergarten to fifth grade, were sent home with materials to solicit and collect donations.

Then on Oct. 7, each student participated in the walk-a-thon, which was held at the CNE High School track.

Each grade took to the track during their allotted times and walked for 30 minutes. A 10-minute snack break followed, with chips and salsa donated by Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant.

Donations to the walk-a-thon were collected and submitted on Oct. 11; the school’s 700 students collected a total of $7,500.

“We’re really excited about it; we’re really pleased,” Porter said.

Money raised from the walk-a-thon will go to pay for student incentives as well as in-school programs, such as bringing in performing arts troupes.

“All the students will benefit,” Porter added.

This year, as an added fundraising incentive, Porter rounded up 17 teachers and administrative staff, including the principal and assistant principal, to volunteer to pull a Petermann, Ltd. school bus one foot for every $500 raised.

Petermann donated the use of the school bus for the event.

The top fundraising class was allowed to ride in the bus while the teachers pulled it. Porter’s class won.

All the students really enjoyed the whole of the experience, Porter said.

“It was a lot of fun; the kids made supportive signs thanking the community and Petermann,” Porter said. “They were really excited about the school bus pull, and they were very excited about having the chips and salsa at the walk.”