Ripona Elementary School’s annual jog-a-thon brought in some $10,000 for the school in the hour-long run Wednesday morning on the school’s turf – bested only by the excitement seen on their faces.

Some 430 students donned their “cool” blue school T-shirts priding their “Mustang” tradition that goes back some 20 years organized by the Ripona Parent Faculty Club.  There were countless parents and teachers on the field guiding the students onto their age-appropriate courses and counting their laps – all wearing a “Mustang” shirt of their own.

The run began shortly before 10 a.m. and was slated to continue until 11 with lunch periods to follow.  It was expected the students would have an extra level of hunger when they entered the cafeteria from the unusual morning workout.

Two jogging courses separated kindergarten through third graders and fourth through the upper class eighth graders so the older students wouldn’t be running into their younger counterparts.

Students at Ripona have long been encouraged to demonstrate their Mustang Pride spirit by wearing Ripon blue each Friday.  The count of participating students has been tallied for those wearing their blue shirts class by class.

At the end of the month a winner is announced and the winning class has received treats from the Parents Faculty Club and allowed to keep the spirit trophy for the month.  Ripona School has long been known as a school family unto itself.

Kristen Baker is this year’s president of the Parent Faculty Club that sponsored the event.