The 2018 St. Jude 5k took place on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 22. Although the weather was a little misty and rainy, the people who came and supported the race were the biggest group to ever attend the St. Jude 5k.

“Everyone seemed to be having a really good time,” English teacher and St. Jude sponsor Mrs. Heidi Rubín de la Borbolla said. “Conditions were a little cool, a little rainy, a little misty, but no one seemed to have dampened spirits at all.”

Although football players had participated in a big game the night before the race, they showed the St. George’s spirit, leading the group in songs such as “Lean On Me.” Many others walking also joined in singing together. This was the first time the St. George’s crowd has ever led a St. Jude’s race in song.

“The highlight for me was to see our St. George’s friends come together, especially when everybody was singing and having a good time,” Senior Colton Turner said. “It affected everybody else around us, and it was just a good feeling.”

The feeling of togetherness is a huge part of the mission for St. George’s, as St. Jude plays an active role in the school’s community.

“A lot of people here have been touched by St. Jude in one way or the other, either directly or indirectly or they know people who have been,” Mrs. Rubín de la Borbolla said, “and so it’s just another really good way to give back to our community.”

The goal of the St. Jude club as well as the St. Jude hospital is to promote awareness of childhood cancer and the significant effect that childhood cancer has on so many individuals. Nick London, who came and visited the school earlier in Sept. actually raps about his experience with cancer to bring awareness to people who do not know much about the matter.

“The first thing I wanted to accomplish with my music was to spread the message, spread the word, to raise awareness about what’s going on because it happens everyday,” London said. “I just want to give people an inside on what it really is and what kids are really going through and stuff. I feel like rapping gives me that platform. People will listen to me.”

The St. Jude club at St. George’s works to bring awareness as well and actively find ways to support St. Jude with Coins for Carson, starting in November, as well as asking people to participate in the races St. Jude has throughout the year. This year, Mrs. Rubín de la Borbolla and Mrs. Paige McMullen are exploring new ways to help give back to St. Jude, and they want it to start with the people of St. George’s helping support St. Jude.

“I would say to the students and even faculty to take the time to research what all St. Jude does,” Mrs. McMullen said. “You hear a lot about how no family ever pays for anything, which is obviously a great mission, but they also are working on treatments that are on the forefront of treating cancer or treating other childhood illnesses…They do research for so many other childhood diseases as well.”

Many people from St. George’s have been influenced by St. Jude, and participating in these races and donating to St. Jude is a way to give back to the Memphis community. This race is meant to not only raise money for St. Jude, but it is a way of supporting the St. Jude community.

“Being able to participate in the race is good for the community, and it’s something that lifts everybody’s spirits up, even the people around you,” Turner said. “It lifts the spirits of the people who you’re walking for.”