LaGRANGE – Despite the sudden appearance of fall temperatures, students, teachers, and parents gathered in LaGrange High School’s parking lot bright and early on Saturday morning to get painted and support their school.

Gardner Newman Middle School’s Parent Teacher Organization hosted My School Color Run on Saturday to raise funds for the school and bring the school community together.

“We wanted to do something different,” said PTO president Kim Skiff. “… Some of the teachers suggested the color run, so we decided to give it a shot.”

Students, parents, and teachers were sprayed with colored water at color stations throughout the race. The color came from food coloring, but it still made a splash on the white run day T-shirts that the racers wore. At the end of the race, runners were given color packets to thoroughly cover themselves and their friends with all the colors of excitement that the race inspired.

“We are excited to come together this morning and just support the schools,” said Assistant Principal Kelley Adams. “… The kids are super excited. The teachers are excited. Everybody is ready to show Gardner Newman love.”

Organizers estimated that there were about 100 runners in the race that looped through the “flower streets” near LaGrange High School. The race was a 5K – or 3.1 miles – of fun with stations providing water and candy along with color at regular intervals. Funds raised by the race went to benefit GNMS PTO and their projects.

“Our PTO has done a great job of planning this,” said Adams. “They have been fabulous this year, and we are hoping to raise some money to get technology and a couple of different things.”

The school’s PTO supports a wide variety of programs to help students and teachers keep school spirit high and classrooms going with moral and financial support.

“The PTO does a lot for the teachers,” said Skiff. “Anytime the teachers need a request or money then they come to the PTO. … We do teacher appreciation week and help with the positive behavior store at the school. Anything that the teacher requests as much as we can and try to promote morale – positive morale – in the school.”

As much fun as everyone had at the run, organizers are hopeful for even greater turnout at future events, and the continued support of the school community.

“That’s our goal: to get more students involved the next go around,” said Graduation Coach Melissa Foster.