By J1 Reporter Audrey Wagoner

Though Marian’s annual Walk-a-thon was held over a month ago, Marian’s dedicated students and faculty are still buzzing with excitement over the results and the memories. Numerous changes were made to the 2015 fundraiser that seemed to be a hit with the students and made the entire process more transparent than ever.

“I really liked the new Platinum route,” senior Kateri Determan said. “It was a lot more interesting, and we actually got to see new things instead of just walking laps around the track.”

Determan was one of the 471 walkers who were able to walk the new and improved VIP route as a reward for bringing in upwards of $175 by the first collection date.

Another change implemented by Marian’s Student Board was the new rewards system for walkers that provided an extra week of free dress, new and improved class privileges, and days off of school. These proved to be a great incentive for a majority of the students, including junior Susana Pettis, who said, “It was definitely a lot more rewarding for everyone and it clearly ended up really well.”

The new rewards system was not only well received by the students, but also the faculty. In the past, student’s specific rewards and levels that they reached were unclear and at times confusing, but this year lanyards showed both students and teachers exactly what privileges they had earned.

Guidance counselor Ms. Kathy Janata noted how in the past it was distressing for students to not know what they had earned and where they were in terms of reward tiers, but this year “all of the girls knew exactly where they were at each collection whether it was platinum, gold, silver, or even bronze,” Janata said.

This new system was obviously doing something right with the student body blowing everyone’s expectations out of the water and raising 180 percent of the school goal.