Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) — April 17, 2025 — International Studies will be hosting its fifth annual House Color Run next week to raise money for its house system.
The run is scheduled for April 22 from 4 to 5 p.m. on the IS track in Jonesboro. The event, which is closed to the public, helps to raise money for the school’s Ron Clark Academy (RCA) House System. The system uses House events, chants, celebrations and more to encourage positive behavior, build confidence and motivate students, according to the RCA website.
“We have six houses within our school, and each student and staff member are a part of one of the houses. We say, ‘six houses, one family,’” IS assistant principal Paige Vick said. “This is just a fun family event for all of our houses to do together.”
She also noted that all the colors the students will be throwing represent each house. House colors include blue, purple, yellow, orange, green and red.
“We do this to put back into our house system,” Vick said. “Each of our houses each have a different word that they live by, like friendship, courage, kindness. That’s what we keep in mind when we’re doing anything house-related because we’re trying to reinforce those values with the kids.”
PATHS (Parents and Teachers Helping Students) president Lauren Keith said this year’s course will feature some obstacles to make it “a little more fun and dirtier” for the kids. She added that a greater amount of chalk will be thrown on the kids to make sure they “leave covered head to toe in House colors.”
“We have some of our previous students who will be helping; we have parents volunteer to help; some of our staff will be here, and then our EAST program students are actually doing a digital print for the medals,” Keith said. “Those will be given out to the top runners for each of the six Houses and their medal will be printed in their House color.”
The color run raises money through its entry fees. The $20 entry fee includes the T-shirts, snow cones, hair tinsel and face painting. With around 130 students already signed up, she said the attendance has already doubled from last year. After covering the expenses for the event, she hopes it will bring in at least $500 to go back into the Houses.
Keith also noted during fundraiser events like the color run, part of the money goes toward the individual houses for meetings and supplies; as well as thank you cards and encouragement cards for the students to deliver around the community, along with cookies.
“We’ve delivered to Jonesboro First Baptist, who partners with our school, the fire department, nursing homes, the police department, and different people that we try to highlight every month,” she said. “The money goes into that along with purchasing things we need for house equipment or T-shirts for students who can’t pay for them and things like that, so it all goes back to our school and community.”