By J1 Reporter Natalie Bullock

Raising $95,000 in four weeks can be tough let alone with students leading the fundraiser.  Marian holds an annual fundraiser that spurs competition between the classes called Walk-A-Thon (WAT). The Student Board at Marian motivates their classmates through prizes.  If the freshmen reached their goal, they received an open study hall where they are allowed to go to the quad or library.  The sophomores were able to eat lunch outside along with an open study hall, and the juniors had the chance to win senior privilege.  The seniors had the opportunity to get senior privilege and open lunch.  If the school reached its goal as a whole, the student body would receive free dress for a whole week.  

At $65,000 the school earned a scary movie day on Oct. 29, and at $95,000 the school earned the day off on Oct. 18.  Additional incentives were not achieved this year. If the students had raised $125,000 they would have received an outdoor movie. If they had raised $150,000, they would have had an extra $5,000 for the Surprise Day fund, and $175,000 would have given them a path straight to the WAT party. 

Many individual prizes were raffled off as well.  A student would get their name put in the drawing for the prizes if they brought in the minimum requirement of $40.  There were a variety of different prizes raffled off and senior Student Board board member, Ryan Sully said that “there were gift cards, a chocolate basket, and certificates.”  Sully explained how throughout the summer, the Student Board talked to different companies trying to get them to donate to WAT. Walk-A-Thon prizes are catalysts for the competition between the classes while sparking class unity.

Seniors hold up their sign with the money they raised for Walk-A-Thon, on Sept. 24. The seniors received first for raising 147% of their goal. Photo by Brianna Dovali