Every September, Park Lane Elementary kicks off the school year with a beloved tradition: the annual fun run. 

This isn’t just a jog around the block — it’s a celebration of unity, school spirit and deep-rooted community pride. From the moment the kids lace up their sneakers to the final stretch of the run, it’s clear this event is about more than fitness or even its apparent purpose of a fundraiser. 

“It’s about connection; it builds community,” Principal Justin Jeffery said. “It unifies our community and it builds culture in the school, and that’s one of the things where Park Lane really shines.”

The day begins with excitement as students gather, many wearing matching fun run T-shirts designed by the PTA. These shirts are more than just apparel — they're a symbol of inclusion.

“All the kids get a T-shirt,” Jeffery said. “This year is a retro flashback Panther design. The kids look forward to getting them, and this year, the PTA really came through. They got them the night before and handed them out on the fun run day.”

After warmups, which recently have been led by Jordan High School’s cross-country team, the entire student body readies at the starting point. With support from Sandy City Police Department, the streets are safely blocked off and the 1-mile run begins.

“We go through the neighborhoods, and we do it with the help of the police and the leadership from Jordan High,” said a school leader. 

The route winds through familiar streets, past houses where the kids live, past neighbors they know.

“When we do the fun run, we’re not running in someone else’s community. We’re running in their own backyard,” he said. “People they know are cheering them on — folks they see from church, Junior Jazz or the grocery store.”

It's not just students and faculty and staff participating. The event brings out parents, grandparents, younger siblings in strollers and even community members without current ties to the school.

“I remember seeing a family cheering us on. They haven’t had kids at our school for years,” Jeffery said. “Their kids are grown, but they’re still out there waving. It’s because this is their community.”

Inclusivity is a key value. The fun run welcomes everyone — whether walking, running, rolling — and even cheering from the sidelines.

“We invite everybody to participate — whether it’s walk, run or roll. We have people in wheelchairs or those who need special accommodations participate. Everyone is invited and included,” he said.

This year’s theme, inspired by Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” included a special appearance by the Chick-fil-A hot air balloon a few days later.

“They pulled it up and let people look inside at the flame,” said an organizer. “It was set up as a reward when we hit our fundraising goal — $22,000. We made more than $25,000.”

That fundraising success supports students, providing money for every child to use at the book fair, which in turn, promotes literacy as well as other activities.

From the fun run to Spirit Fridays — where students wear their shirts weekly — the event sets the tone for a year of student engagement.

The fun run is just one piece of Park Lane’s larger community puzzle. The annual Night of the Arts, the end-of-year dance party, and STEM night all strengthen the bond between the school and its surrounding neighborhood.

“Most of our community’s kids attend Park Lane because they love the school and they have pride in it,” Jeffery said. “It’s not just a school they attend — it’s a place they belong; it’s their school.”