PORTLAND, Ore. — KGW is spending the 2019-2020 school year at Woodlawn Elementary School, telling stories of the staff, students and community through the series “Inside Woodlawn.”
We were there on Oct. 9 as students ran laps to raise money during the annual fundraiser “Run for Woodlawn."
Students get pledges or donations, and the more they run, the more money is raised.
The funds are then used for things like art and cultural assemblies.
Principal Andrea Porter Lopez said they raised $9,000 last year and hope to raise $12,000 this year.
“Students talk to parents, people they know, neighbors, call family, friends and say, 'Hey, I’m going to do a run, can you pledge per lap or do a flat donation?' They gather all of that outside of school. We run, we record the laps and then send the information home and they bring in the funds. We use the funds for art and PE and we love cultural performances,” said Porter Lopez.
She said all kids participate, whether they raise money or not.
“Everybody participates in Run for Woodlawn, everybody can benefit and earn things. Depending on how many laps their class runs, they get a smoothie party for their class,” said Porter Lopez.
About Inside Woodlawn:
KGW investigative reporter Cristin Severance and photojournalist Gene Cotton will be reporting periodically throughout the school year, with vignettes and full-length episodes.
The first episode explained how the school is dealing with gentrification of the Northeast Portland Woodlawn neighborhood inside and outside the school.
Episode two airs Monday, Oct. 14, 2019 at 6 p.m.
Please follow our year-long series on YouTube, Facebook and by using the #insidewoodlawn on Twitter and Instagram.