WALK
AND
RUN
The ICS Walk & Run has a
long tradition with our ICS
Community. First established
to support charity partners, it
has now evolved into supporting
student-led service learning
projects, that will increase the
number of people impacted.
In the beginning, back in 2009,
the Walk & Run was established
to support the Ethiopian Burn
Care Foundation. Dr. Einar
Erickson, the founder of the
Ethiopian Burn Care Foundation,
visited ICS nearly 10 years
ago to explain the services his
foundation offers to victims of
various degrees of burn. Erik
Hathaway, HS Science Teacher,
vividly remembers the story
Dr. Einar told about an extreme
case, involving a young woman
from a remote Ethiopian village
with 3rd degree burns. “Dr. Einar
described the young woman, as
having no one to look after her
and no resources for treatment.
She was taken to Addis but left
at Merkato, in hopes that others
would help her survive. That was
one of the most heartbreaking
stories I had ever heard,”
tells Erik.
With the profound effect this students can focus their time
story had on him, Erik made and energy on planning
a commitment to support the and implementation.
Burn Care Foundation and thus,
started the annual ICS Walk & Erik explains that the focus on
Run event nine years ago. Since service team that administers
its launch, the annual event has the FOS Fund, which includes
raised financial support and high school students, has
awareness for the Ethiopian devised a formal application
Burn Care Foundation and other system. “Any ICS student,
programs including Our Fathers’ regardless of grade-level, can
Kitchen and the Ethiopian Wolf apply for a grant from the
Conservation Program. service fund,” explains Erik.
As ICS moves towards more The ICS Walk & Run has always
personalized learning and been a very successful event
student agency, servicing because of all the volunteers
learning plays a larger role in and participants. While the
a students’ overall education. spirit of the Walk & Run has
Erik explains, “I think service not changed, the focus has
learning develops both intra and shifted to supporting student-
interpersonal skills, organization, led initiatives that will in turn
critical thinking and provides support more people and
real opportunities to solve programs in need.
meaningful problems.” Chris
McBride, MS Deputy Principal This year’s Walk & Run, along
adds, “service learning provides with the service learning and
students with opportunities to CAS Fair, happened on 23
apply knowledge in the February 2019. Several people,
real world.” walked, ran, volunteered and/
or donated, continuing to make
The Walk & Run will continue this event a success and to
to be a showcase for student help grow the Focus on
service learning and CAS project Service Fund.
and will be a fundraising event
for the student-led Focus on For more information on
Service Fund (FOS). The FOS the FOS Fund or to make a
Fund will use proceeds from the donation, please email Erik
Walk & Run and direct donations Hathaway at erik.hathaway@
to provide grants to ICS service icsaddis.org.
learning projects across the
entire school. Any student or
student group from elementary,
middle and high school can
apply for a financial grant to
support their project. By taking
away the burden of fundraising,
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