By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—Snow, ice and cold weather didn’t dampen the Oak Mountain Elementary School community’s school spirit. On Feb. 27, the school gym was turned into a racecourse, as students completed the Boosterthon Fun Run, concluding the school’s week-and-a-half-long fundraiser.

Organized by the OMES PTO, Boosterthon is a school-wide fundraiser focused on “fitness, leadership and character,” PTO member Melissa Franklin explained in an email.

From Feb. 18 through 27, classes worked together to raise pledges for the Fun Run. Along the way, they gained fun prizes, from pajama days to stuffed animal days. In addition to working together to raise money, students learned about the importance of helping and supporting others, learning from each other and working hard.

“It has been so amazing,” OMES Principal Debbie Horton said of the fundraiser. “It has been really fun to watch (the students) interact with the character traits and really own it.”

On the day of the Fun Run, students completed between 30 and 35 laps, while parents and teachers cheered them on. As of the morning of Feb. 27, OMES students had raised around $55,000 for the school, Horton said.

“We’ve had an overwhelming response and support from parents,” Horton said.

Boosterthon is the PTO’s largest fundraiser, and money raised during the event supports the numerous programs and services the PTO provides for the school.

The PTO currently pays for the school’s copier lease, the computer lab technician and the Learning.com subscription. The PTO also provides funding for substitute teachers so the OMES faculty can hold “collaborative planning meets four times a year,” Horton explained.

“The PTO does so much,” Horton said, noting their assistance allows OMES to “give the children what they need at the time they need it.”

A portion of the money will also fund the Leader in Me initiative at OMES.

Horton noted the importance of fundraisers, such as Boosterthon, and the support of the PTO to the school.

“Fundraisers like our Fall (Fun Fest) and Boosterthon really do help support our school,” Horton said.