Joggers “Trick or Trot” for after-school programs
Joggers dressed as witches, pirates and superheroes laced up their running shoes Sunday for the annual Trick or Trot 5K and 3K at Balboa Park.
More than 200 runners, from 2 to 73 years old, attended the costumed race, which was created in 2014 to help fund after-school programs at nearby Roosevelt Middle School.
The Park Boulevard campus is the alma mater of Meb Keflezighi, who won last year’s Boston Marathon. His victory inspired parents and school officials to create the run and, when they settled on a weekend close to Halloween, costumes were added to the mix. The famed runner wasn’t in attendance, but he showed his support for the event by donating several signed copies of his book, which were raffled off as prizes.
“We get to be healthy, we get to have fun, and we get to focus on our students,” said Roosevelt Principal Christina Casillas of the event. “We know that our students need an outlet to increase their self-esteem, their self-confidence, as well as their academics, ... and having this activity will allow us to provide a robust variety of activities after school.”
At Sunday’s run, spooky music blasted from the speakers as mummies, an Elvis and angels crossed the finish line. Sitting under a tree, sweaty but triumphant, was a family of Mickey and Minnie Mouses.
Eileen Petersen, dressed as Minnie, said her son, Soren, attends Roosevelt. She said she and her husband thought the event would be a fun and healthy way to support the school, so she came up with a costume idea and they ran with it.
It took a little convincing to get Soren on board, but on race day, he donned the Mickey Mouse ears along with the rest of his family.
Petersen said the kids had a great time.
“It was neat to see all their teachers, and they were real excited to catch up with them on the trail,” she said.
This year organizers estimate they raised more than $3,000 to help the campus expand its after-school programs that range from photography classes to math and science clubs to sports teams.
Casillas said it would be difficult to offer the variety of programs they do without support from fundraising efforts like the Trick or Trot.
“We have to seek financial support through our community because our budget doesn’t provide the necessary support for these after-school options,” she said. “...Parent and community engagement is key to our school’s success.”
Working parents, like Sarah Scalo, said it’s reassuring to know there is a fun and educational place for their kids to go when the school day is done.
She said her daughter Rose got involved with MESA, an after-school math, science and engineering club. At the end of the year, the eighth grader took a trip to Fiesta Island and launched rockets she built with the club.
“It’s free, and we do things like this so it can stay that way,” she said of the run. “That’s really important to the parents at our school because a lot of our students come from low-income families.”
Sandy Weiner, a parent who organized the run, said even more important than raising money is creating a sense of school spirit and pride. “I really do think everyone ... stands a little taller and feels a little better knowing that we can come together and put on a school event like this.”
