Camden's Charter School Network

Registration fees for the 5K run as well as the generous donations from 15 different sponsors contributed to the student scholarship fund as students, staff, alumni, parents, and community members came together for a great cause.

The racers lined up and got ready to run. The countdown began and everyone was off. The countdown for the 1-mile walk began five minutes later and everyone participating in the walk made their start. The weather was a little rainy, but it did not stop the runners and walkers from crossing the finish line.

One of the runners who finished in one of the fastest times was Mr. Rankin, a teacher at Camden’s Promise Charter Middle School.

“It was great and felt good to be a part of a community race,” Rankin stated. “It’s nice to inspire kids to think about sports that they may not see on television.”

Rankin also added that the race served as preparation for his upcoming run.

“I am getting in shape and running in the Broad Street Run next week and I wanted to use this as a tune-up to lock into what that pace would be like,” he said.

Not only were the students and staff enjoying the event, but so were the pets. Mr. Schoonmaker was another finisher of the 5K, and he ran with his dogs.

“It was a great feeling, and I look forward to next year with more students and parents coming out to participate,” Schoonmaker said. “My dogs loved it and probably would have run another 5K if they could.”

One of the students who participated in the race was Julian Paneta, a 7th grader at Camden’s Promise Charter School.

“It was an alright race to run,” he said. “I placed 4th in my age group and 11th overall.”

The health fair featured various vendors providing information, a Zumba lesson in the gym, access to the pool, face painting, and overall community engagement. It was a wonderful experience for Camden’s Charter School Network and everyone in attendance.