Middle school hosts Color Run

Shamaya Sutton, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·2 min read

May 21—It was a vibrant afternoon on Thursday as students, families, and friends participated in McKenney Intermediate School's 5th annual Color Run.

Principal Joe Seiler was in bright spirits as well, happy to see everyone enjoying themselves.

"Engaging middle school kids is a challenge sometimes," said Seiler. "But this is a fun way for the kids to see us outside of the classroom, and for us to see all these different kids that we may not normally get to see. We all come together with the common goal of just having a good time."

In addition to McKenney students, students from other local schools were in attendance including Kynoch Elementary School, Covillaud Elementary School, and Marysville High School. Teachers from McKenney commented that having this event open to the community and seeing entire families run together was very rewarding.

The school's Color Run was started as a way to fund its PBIS teams, which stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. The PBIS team provides incentives for students displaying positive behaviors on campus and throughout the community. Some of these incentives could include gift cards, prizes, special snacks, or, in this case, a Color Run.

Between 150 and 200 kids were signed up to participate, with registration being just $5 each. All proceeds went straight back into PBIS to support more programs and future events.

"Our goal was to create a culture of acceptance and collaboration throughout our community and find an activity to bridge the gap between home and school," explained Seiler. "The Color Run has been an engaging experience and encourages students to have

fun, make new friends, and enjoy the benefits of physical activity."

Throughout the years, the Color Run has been supported by multiple community businesses and the Marysville Police Department, Marysville Fire Department, and Beale Air Force Base. This year, the Marysville Fire Department was present, using one of its trucks to spray down runners as they passed by. Two firefighter volunteers played "jump rope" with a water stream and to see how high the teenage boys could jump to touch it.

Juan Lopez, the school's PBIS lead and outreach consultant, is credited for planning this year's event and coordinating all the details along with student support specialist Miranda Southward.

"It went even better than expected," said Lopez, as he wiped color from his hands and face. "We were just a little bit nervous to make sure it all came together OK, but it really seems like everyone's had a good time."