KAILUA-KONA — The colors of the rainbow filled the air Friday afternoon at Kahakai Elementary School as they held their second annual School Color Run.
Keiki from each class ran through a course while being sprayed with water by parent volunteers. At the end, all the students got a handful of colored dust and on the count of three, blasted their principal, Dr. Jim Denight.
The school’s color run is the brainchild of physical education teacher Janet Hunter. After Hunter and a group of fellow teachers participated in Kona’s color run three years ago, she knew she had to bring it to the school.
“I wanted to show the kids that physical fitness and nutrition can be fun. You can do active things and have fun,” said Hunter. “The community got involved, too.”
Local business and service organizations donated to the event.
“The Elks club donated money so that kids who couldn’t afford a T-shirt wouldn’t be left out. It’s great to see the community involved in a Title 1 school,” she added. “Everyone had such a blast last year, I kept hearing from the parents pleading to do it again.”
Money collected from the sale of shirts, dust and smoothies will go to support the physical education program at the school.
Fifth-grade student Lana Campagan said it was her first time doing the run.
“My favorite part was running with my friend and trying not to get sprayed,” she said.
Diana Shishikin countered, “I liked running and getting sprayed.”
And Logan Godbey summed it up: “I like being pink!”