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Community Comes Together for Record-Breaking Race for Education and StangFest

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Students gather together and smile at the start of the race
Community Comes Together for Record-Breaking Race for Education and StangFest

More than 1,500 runners, walkers, and supporters filled the Houston High School campus on November 8 for the Germantown Education Foundation’s Race for Education and StangFest, a day that celebrated community, school spirit, and giving back.


This year’s event raised just over $30,000 which will fund teacher grants and mini-grants across Germantown Municipal School District. Each registration helped support classrooms, ensuring that dollars raised go directly to the people who make the biggest impact, teachers and students.  In addition, $9,000 of the $30K will go back to GMSD teachers to use for classroom purchases through their team registrations.

A young student smiles as he runs


Executive Director Joni Hester credits Superintendent Jason Manuel with the idea to move the race more in-house, combining it with StangFest and student-led programming. “This shift allowed us to streamline expenses and send more of every registration dollar straight back into classrooms,” said Hester. “It was a true partnership between the district, our students, and our community.”

Joni Hester on stage with one of the Race winners


The day began with a stirring performance of the national anthem by Houston High’s Brayden Daugherty, followed by the one mile competitive run. This also kicked off the opening of StangFest, and soon after, the Color Run started where participants dashed through vibrant clouds of color around the campus. Many runners loved it so much they looped back to do the course multiple times, cheered on by Houston High students who tossed color and encouraged every participant.

A young girl smiles as she is splattered with the color powder


Forest Hill Elementary earned bragging rights for the largest school turnout, with more than 500 participants, while Houston High students organized StangFest, a carnival-style celebration full of games, food, and family fun. Younger students especially loved interacting with their older Mustang mentors.

A student gets her face painted by an HHS student


The Rescue Paws Club and their friendly rescue dogs were a crowd favorite, and the Houston High football team added Mustang pride by lining the finish line to cheer on runners.
The official event shirt, designed by Stacy Norske, featured all seven GMSD mascots, a colorful symbol of unity and pride across the district.


Top Teachers by Race Participation

  1. Howard – 46 registrations
  2. Brooke – 39 registrations
  3. Mitchell – 30 registrations


Hester summed up the spirit of the day perfectly: “It was an exciting day for the city and for GMSD to come together to support our amazing teachers. The joy, collaboration, and school pride were absolutely contagious.”

Two families laugh at the start of the race


Special thanks to the Germantown Fire and Police Departments for their incredible support in keeping participants safe throughout the event.


From the laughter and color to the cheers at the finish line, this year’s Race for Education and StangFest was more than a fundraiser. It was a celebration of what happens when a community runs together for a cause that matters.