Hunter Hamilton is an interventionist at Flagstaff Academy. Each year during the school’s Dragon Dash — a fundraising event in which students run laps to raise money — Hamilton runs what he estimates is close to a marathon.
Hamilton runs with the students for the entire Dragon Dash event which begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends around 2 p.m.
The tradition of running with the students began before Hamilton arrived at Flagstaff, 12 years ago. The prior staff member became ill and was unable to run. He felt bad that no one would be at the students’ side and Hamilton decided he would step up, Hamilton said.
Before that year, Hamilton said he had never liked running before but was determined not to let the students down. He prepared for the day-long event with small 30- to 45-minute runs through his neighborhood.
“That was the beginning of me getting into running,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton also sets a new goal each year. He decided that he would try to run as many miles as his age. This year his goal was 36 miles.
On Friday, the students at Flagstaff raised around $100,000 for the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. The PTO uses that money to create grants for teachers, fix or improve things at the school and much more, said Katie Gustafson, executive principal of Flagstaff Academy.
There were two tracks laid out throughout the school’s parking lot on Friday. Students lined up and began with a walking lap and then ran as much as they could or wanted to. Hamilton ran beside students the entire time they were out there, encouraging them to keep up the good work.
In addition to running, Hamilton used the jog-a-thon as an opportunity to teach students about Dragon PRIDE. PRIDE at Flagstaff stands for perseverance, respect, integrity, dependability and empathy.
Hamilton handed out PRIDE passes — which were attached to his tutu, a common costume at Dragon Dash — to students who showed those virtues.
“They’re (the students) finding fuel in their tanks that I don’t think they would have found otherwise. They are just so excited to see their old teacher that they’re just out there lapping me,” Hamilton said. “They’re giving it their all for 30 minutes. It’s a beautiful moment.”
Hamilton said he is grateful to have the opportunity to run with the students every year.
“I always feel like I am just lucky to be there and I always have this mileage goal in mind that I want to do but that doesn’t even compute for most of the kids who are out there,” Hamilton said. “In doing it I have realized that — sure I’ve got this goal — but it is the less tangible piece of it. The tangible part is just being out there and having those connections with the kids.”
