Graduation Matters 5K Fun Run/Walk set for Saturday

The 1st Annual Graduation Matters 5K Fun Run/Walk, sponsored by Havre High School's Partners Advocating for Student Success team is set for Saturday.

The run will begin at 9 a.m. in the north parking lot of Havre High.

Karla Coy, Havre High Counselor and PASS adviser, said registration is $10 to participate, or $20 to participate and receive a t-shirt.

"Our goal is to look at the dropout rate in our school and what students can do to help change that statistic," she said. "We pair together, oftentimes, with student council or with Key Club. ... We hope to do it every May to highlight graduation."

The proceeds from this event will be used to help purchase incentives, such as gas cards, for Havre High students who attend their classes.

"It's for the whole student body," Coy said.

Coy said the program is hoping to do incentive raffles every two weeks.

"If you're at perfect attendance for two weeks, then your name will go into a drawing and we'll raffle it out," she said. "(We want to get) the community, the parents, the teachers, the kids, everybody involved in graduation and why it's important to our community."

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place finishers of the run. There will also be a free barbecue at noon for all race participants.

People can register online at http://www.havre.k12.mt.us or at the event.

Coy added there will also be a 100-meter dash for kindergarten through 1st graders at 10 a.m., a 400-meter dash for 2nd through 3rd graders at 10:30 a.m., an 800-meter run for 4th through 5th graders at 11 a.m. and a one-mile run for 6th through 8th graders at 11:30 a.m.