OUR ANNUAL JOG-A-THON IS HERE!
Dolphin Dash is College Park Elementary’s biggest PTA fundraiser of the year. All students are able to participate in this annual jog-a-thon event, promoting fun and fitness for all. This year’s Dolphin Dash will take place on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2024 on our school campus.
2024 DOLPHIN DASH RUN SCHEDULE
100% of the net proceeds raised from Dolphin Dash benefit College Park Elementary students! All donations must be made online.
What is a jog-a-thon?
Our jog-a-thon, aka “Dolphin Dash,” is College Park PTA’s largest annual fundraiser in which families, friends, and neighbors donate money to support the students as they jog (or walk, skip, run, etc.) laps during a set time period on our school campus. All students will participate as a part of their regular physical fitness program.
Why are we having a jog-a-thon?
Our PTA provides many fantastic programs and activities for our students and teachers/staff throughout the year, including:
- Family nights (arts & crafts, science activities)
- School-wide educational student assemblies
- Grade level field trips and programs
- PBIS prizes for students
- Classroom enrichment & supplies
- Room Parent coordination for teacher & classroom support
- Annual Spring Carnival for the school & community
- Activities for Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week, a nationwide PTA program honoring our teachers & staff
- Activities for Red Ribbon Week, the nation’s largest & longest-running drug-use prevention campaign
- School yearbook
- Reflections program, a nationwide PTA arts education program to help develop & showcase students’ artistic expression in dance, film, literature, music, photography, & visual arts
…AND SO MUCH MORE!
In order to continue providing these programs and activities, our PTA must raise enough funds each year, with Dolphin Dash historically being our largest fundraiser.
This year, our goal is to raise at least $22,000 from Dolphin Dash.
If every child raises at least $50, we can reach our goal and more! Of course, ANY donation amount is welcome. ALL of the net proceeds raised will go directly into PTA-sponsored programs that enrich our students’ experiences at College Park.
Please note that ALL students will be able to participate regardless of whether they fundraise.
How do we raise money?
Over the next few weeks, each student can obtain donations in support of their jog-a-thon efforts. Please help your child collect donations through your child’s webpage (more info on that below). You can email family, relatives, friends, co-workers, etc. for support right from the webpage. Posting on social media is another option! Please keep in mind that we can meet our school goal if each child raises at least $50.
How do we register and start collecting donations?
All donations must be collected online only through 99Pledges, which is our designated Dolphin Dash fundraising platform this year. In order to fundraise, you will need to register for a FREE and secure unique webpage set up for your individual child.
If you have multiple children at College Park, you will need to register separately for each child.
With the 99Pledges fundraising platform, you can easily share your child's donation link with grandparents, other relatives, friends, neighbors, and even on your own social media. You may also want to check with your employer's company matching policy to see if your donation can be matched accordingly. This is our one big fundraiser where we highly encourage you to reach out to as many people as you can to support your child and our school.
Here are the instructions to register for Dolphin Dash fundraising:
- Click or copy the link https://app.99pledges.com/fund/dolphindash2024/addme to register your child. If you have more than one child at College Park, you will need to register each child separately by clicking on the same link. NOTE: There is also a link at the bottom of the main page for our fundraiser in small lettering, “Not in the list? Add participant.” You can click on ‘Add participant’ so that you don’t have to navigate away from the main fundraising page.
- Participant Name = Enter Child’s Name (First and Last).
- Your Email = Enter Parent's Email Address. You will be sent your own personal website for your child after registration.
- Additional Email = Enter a Second Parent's Email Address (optional).
- Group = Select Teacher Name. The teacher’s name is already pre-loaded, so just select your child’s teacher from the drop-down list. This is important so we can determine the top fundraising class for prizes (see Prizes section below for more info on that!).
- Check the box, “I’m not a robot” and follow the prompts.
- Select Add and you are done!
- You will be sent your child’s own unique webpage link. Once you are emailed your child’s own webpage, your child can then start collecting donations online.
- On your child’s webpage – You can also email family, relatives, friends, co-workers, employers, etc. for support right from the webpage. You can also post on social media, at your discretion.
- Track your child’s progress!
FINAL DONATIONS ARE DUE BY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH AT 11:59PM, so be sure to register your child as soon as possible!
Prizes! Prizes! Prizes!
To add to the fun of Dolphin Dash, we have PRIZES available for those who raise the most money by November 10th, including:
- 2 tickets to a Los Angeles Kings game
- 2 tickets to a Los Angeles Clippers game
- 4-person e-pass to The Escape Game at Irvine Spectrum
- 1 month of coding certificate to The Coder School in Irvine
- 4 admission tickets plus socks to American Ninja Warrior Adventure Park in Santa Ana
- 4-person family pass to Tanaka Farms in Irvine
- Two 90-min cooking classes for 1 family at Lil' Chef Cooking School in Irvine
- $200 certificate for a class offered by IPSF
- 1 free week of winter or spring camp at Rainbow Rising College Park
- Free class OR Sender City Session for 1 plus 1 guest at Sender One in Santa Ana
- and MORE! View our prize list here
The class that raises the most money will also receive a celebration party!
The class that has the highest percentage of participation will win a prize for their teacher! (no minimum donation required.)
If we reach our goal of $22,000 or more, we will get a SPECIAL TREAT for the ENTIRE SCHOOL to enjoy!
***BONUS: Since we are celebrating College Park's 50th anniversary this year, PTA will be providing complimentary DIPPIN DOTS to all students after their run times on Dolphin Dash day!***
If you’re interested in contributing any additional prize items for students to win, please email support@collegeparkpta.org to further discuss.
Thank you to all of our Dolphin Dash sponsors for supporting College Park Elementary PTA!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Will volunteers be allowed to help at Dolphin Dash this year?
Any parent volunteer needs will be communicated via email from the Room Parent for your child’s classroom. If you have not been receiving any Room Parent emails, please email support@collegeparkpta.org and we will help follow up on that with you.
Can parents and/or other family members come watch Dolphin Dash as spectators?
Yes! Parents and other adult spectators are invited to come cheer on their kids. More info to be sent in the Weekly Splash or via email from College Park PTA on how that will be coordinated.
Do I have to register my child on the fundraising website in order for my child to participate in Dolphin Dash?
Not at all. Your child will be able to participate in Dolphin Dash regardless of whether or not you register for a unique fundraising webpage for your child. You only need to register for the fundraiser if you want your child to raise money for the school as part of this event.
Can we collect donations OUTSIDE of our child’s fundraising webpage (e.g. cash or check donations instead)?
We understand that some people may not want to or know how to submit a donation online. If this is the case for someone who wants to donate and support your child, you can choose to submit a donation online on their behalf and have them reimburse YOU via cash or check– that arrangement will be something for you to work out with the person who is actually donating. If that is not an option, please email support@collegeparkpta.org and we can discuss other possible options.
Will my child receive a Dolphin Dash T-shirt?
Yes! Each student at College Park will receive a FREE Dolphin Dash T-shirt, regardless of whether or not they fundraise. ALL students are allowed and encouraged to participate in Dolphin Dash.
When will my child receive the Dolphin Dash T-shirt?
All Dolphin Dash T-shirts will be distributed to students in class the morning of Dolphin Dash on November 7th. This is to help streamline distribution and ensure that each child will have a shirt on the day of the event. Unfortunately, no exceptions to this timing. Students can wear their Dolphin Dash T-shirts over their existing clothing, so please plan accordingly with your child for what is worn that day.
What if my child needs a different Dolphin Dash T-shirt size?
T-shirt sizes for each student were collected in September through a Google Form submission from parents or via input from your child's teacher. Logistically we will be unable to accommodate any size changes for any student now that the deadline for T-shirt size submissions has passed. Thank you for your understanding. Enjoy the freebie!
What if my child wants a different Dolphin Dash T-shirt color?
Each grade level will have a different T-shirt color that has already been pre-determined. T-shirt colors will be revealed via PTA communications and/or teacher emails in the days leading up to the event. No color changes can be made at this time- no exceptions.
FROM LAST YEAR: FINAL CLASS COMPETITION STANDINGS 2023