By Joe Bachman
Editor

PLOVER — Students and staff at Plover-Whiting school have raised over $25,000 as a part of their RACE to Education program.

Created in 1984 by educators Jim and Carol Cole, the RACE for Education program serves as a way for students to get their family and community involved in raising money for their schools. In many cases, raising money potentially fills in the needed gaps for education where state funding falls short. Fundraising efforts began on Oct. 18.

This month, Sentry Insurance employees added to the final total, pushing the total amount to $25,509.

Plover-Whiting students sent out fliers to friends and family urging them to donate to the cause, leading to an hour-long run/walk in which students would participate with parents cheering them on. A kickoff event is always held at the start of the school year to get students excited about the program.

In the case of Plover-Whiting, the venture into their fifth year of the program gifted them a much needed new playground.

“It was almost deemed unsafe,” said Plover-Whiting PTO President Jodi Rentfrow. “Don Keck (Buildings and Grounds, SPASD) came out and said if it gets worse, we would have to rope it off.”

The new playground included new equipment and basketball hoops. According to Rentfrow, a limo ride to Polito’s with the school principal for one of the top prizes was a motivating for many students to raise money. Overall, 28 students got to ride in style to grab some pizza in November of 2018.

“The limo ride was a big push for them,” said Rentfrow. “A lot of parents will meet us there and take pictures of their kids getting out of the limo as they’re getting out.”

For more information on the RACE For Education program, visit http://www.racefored.com/

Plover-Whiting school is located at 1400 Hoover Ave.