By Ricardo Murray and Christopher Turner Bulldog News
Every year Loyola High School sells 50 raffle tickets to all the students, faculty and staff. The tickets are sold for $2 each, and the proceeds help raise money for the school.
This year, along with the raffle, Loyola decided to bring back the walkathon to wrap up the fundraising activity. The walkathon had not been held for several years.
On Oct. 9, Loyola took three buses to Belle Isle to walk around the six-mile course. Teachers also walked, or were posted in locations to make sure the students did not go off course. Some teachers and staff also rode their bike around the island.
The Belle Isle walkathon isn’t just for fun. It’s also used to raise awareness for Loyola and to let people know that there is a group of young men in the city doing great things.
“People have approached me to tell me how good it is to see such a large group of young men, pants not sagging, and doing something positive,” principal Wyatt Jones III said.
The students agree.
“I like how the whole school came together and was doing something to change the image of young black males,” junior Kailen Abrams said.
To make the walk more fun, teacher Kathy Gross challenged the students to beat her in a race around Belle Isle. The reward for beating her was a pizza party with her famous brownies.
After everyone completed the walk or ride around Belle Isle, the school has a cookout, and president Father Mark selected the raffle winners.
“I loved the walk and can’t wait to do it next year,” Corey Williams said.
