On Oct. 13, Letort Elementary School's PTO held its largest fundraiser of the year: Laps for Letort. The annual event helps the PTO generate the money it requires for its projects aimed at enriching the kids' school experience. Additionally, Laps for Letort provides the school's students with an opportunity to help raise funds for the PTO while getting some exercise and having fun with their classmates in the process.

During the event, students ran laps around Letort Elementary School. The PTO selects a different theme every year; this year, the theme was school spirit. Participating youngsters jogged around the building wearing Penn Manor blue and gold to show off their Comet pride, and prizes were awarded to those who showed the best school spirit.

In the weeks leading up to Laps for Letort, the runners were tasked with acquiring sponsorships for each lap they would run around the school. Students were incentivized to accrue donations with prizes such as keychains, jump ropes and gift cards, which were given to those who garnered a certain number of online registrations. The student who raised the most money was rewarded with a meal from a restaurant of his or her choosing, personally delivered by the principal. In addition to the individual incentives, the PTO offered special rewards for the entire student body. Depending on the number of donations collectively raised by the kids, the PTO granted them rewards such as a school-wide party, a water balloon fight and an opportunity to duct tape the principal to the school's flagpole. "We like the kids to do something for the money they're trying to earn," said Melissa Hochreiter, president of Letort Elementary PTO. "It motivates them to help raise funds that go right back into the classroom."

This year, the PTO utilized an online platform to coordinate sponsorships, which allowed family members and their co-workers and neighbors to donate to the fundraiser. The new feature also allowed students and their families to reach people in other states or countries to request sponsorships. The 2023 Laps for Letort broke its record for the largest amount of donations to date, generating more than $17,000 for the PTO.

The PTO applies the proceeds of the fundraiser in a variety of ways, including school assemblies, field trips, classroom supplies and staff member appreciation. At the end of every school year, the PTO also awards scholarships to two high school seniors who are Letort Elementary School alumni. One scholarship is given out for academic achievement, and the other is for community service. "A better school builds a better community," Hochreiter said. "The PTO certainly focuses on the kids, but the better the environment that we can provide for them, the more we can support the Penn Manor community as a whole."