The Zionsville Middle School PTO will hold its 11th annual Z-Run this Saturday at Zionsville Middle School to raise money for teacher program grants, general funding and health and wellness programming.
“It’s a day where fun, fitness and community meet,” said Erin Wilson, ZMS PTO health and wellness coordinator. “The event is largely attended by the community. We have kids as young as nine and men as old as 80 participate.”
The event will be held at the middle school, with the three-mile course traveling throughout the city streets and along the Zionsville Trail. Registration will be from 7:45 to 9 a.m. when the event begins.
Wilson said the teacher with the most students in attendance will win a gift certificate to put toward the classroom, and the winning class will have the honors of keeping a traveling golden sneaker trophy for the year. ZMS students of all ages are encouraged to participate and to start learning healthy lifestyle habits.
“When children start exercising and eating right at a young age, they learn to take their health seriously. As they get older and they become busier, they know to make fitness and their health a priority,” she said.
Last year, the event drew around 500 participants of all ages and raised more than $5,000. This year, Wilson said they hope to attract around 650 participants and raise more than $7,000, weather permitting.
In the months leading up to the event, the PTO encouraged ZMS students to design and submit logos for the event. The winning artist was ZMS eighth-grader Maggie Drake. The logo was used on the T-shirts and other event signage.