Following a successful golf tournament in the fall, this year’s Monroe County startUP class is putting together another fundraiser: a run with a colorful twist.

The startUP 5K Color Run is now open for sign-ups as well as a few remaining sponsorships.

Caleb Seboldt, one of the students participating in this year’s class, said students landed on this particular idea after brain storming following the golf fundraiser.

He noted that past startUP classes have generally focused on a smaller class project to begin with before arranging a larger group fundraiser early in the spring.

This year, Seboldt and his classmates wanted to work toward a large fundraiser to begin, with another event further helping the group as they get their individual business projects going.

Though, as he said, the golf tourney went well, there were a few issues the students had to work through. Those experiences haven proven to be useful as they tackle the 5K Color Run.

“We decided on that in November, and have kinda been working on it ever since,” Seboldt said. “We’ve got a student leadership team that’s kind of in charge of it, and we’ve got different internal groups that are trying to do different things to keep us a little more organized because, after our golf tournament was pretty successful, we had some things where we felt that we could do better.”

Seboldt recognized that most folks are already familiar with the concept of a 5K, but he offered additional clarification on the color run aspect of the event.

Participants are encouraged to wear white shirts for the run – those who sign up by March 1 are guaranteed to receive a shirt in their size – as the startUP students will be tossing dust in various colors at them along the race path to mark their clothes.

“It’s basically just colored corn starch, essentially, that we’re going to be throwing at people,” Seboldt said. “It’s dusty, it’s fun, it’s colorful. It’s just supposed to be a fun experience for everyone and a unique experience that not everybody gets to do.”

As part of event marketing, startUP students posted a video on the organization’s Facebook page suggesting participants wear shower caps if they’re especially hesitant to get their hair messy.

Along with participant sign-ups, startUP students are also looking to land additional sponsors for the event.

The highest tiers of platinum and gold sponsorships have already been filled, though silver sponsorships are still available, and the event is open to unlimited bronze sponsorships after having to turn away several prospective sponsors for the previous fundraiser.

Monroe County startUP Program Facilitator Priscilla Wilkerson, who joined the program earlier this semester, spoke highly of the students’ work and their progress through this semester.

Wilkerson said the group has been able to work through the logistics of the event – which takes place the morning of March 23 at Bolm-Schuhkraft City Park in Columbia – and are currently focused simply on getting the word out to fill out their sponsorships and bring in as many runners as possible.

As she said, the quota of runners for the event is 150, but the group is really shooting for that number to reach 200.

“I think that they’re headed in the right direction,” Wilkerson said. “They have set some goals for themselves individually and as a class. They are working on wrapping up all of the sponsorships and doing pretty well with that.”

Monroe County startUP Board Chairman George Obernagel similarly commended the students for their efforts through the year so far as well as on this particular fundraiser, suggesting their work sets a high bar for next year’s class.

“I think it’s great they’re doing this,” Obernagel said. “They’re very ambitious. The kids, they like to set challenges. They’re working very hard on the project, and especially, they’re working on this group project and they’re doing their own personal businesses. It shows the initiative of the group, of all the students working together.”

Along with speaking about the run, Seboldt discussed his experiences in startUP so far this year, indicating the class has helped him build a bit more confidence on top of serving as a sort of incubator for his personal business.

“I do work with other people, but I’m not maybe as outgoing as a lot of other people,” Seboldt said. “For me, I’ve definitely become more outgoing in the class, more likely to speak my mind whenever I have an idea that I want to add to the conversation.”

Wilkerson further spoke about the class’ work this semester, noting the students are already making excellent progress toward their individual businesses even as they work together for the 5K.

“I think they’re moving along pretty good for feeling kind of like a scramble at the moment,” Wilkerson said. “I think this is a difficult time for them when they are coming into the second semester, developing their personal businesses, also the class business. They have a lot of information thrown at them and that they’re supposed to perform on, and I think they’re doing well.”

More information on the startUP 5K Color Run, along with a link to sign up for the event, can be found at facebook.com/MonroeCountyStartup.

The startUP program is a community partnership between local high school students and area businesses that transforms the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.