A new approach is being taken for the end-of-year celebration for students in Knoxville’s elementary schools and middle school; this year, students will be celebrating a Day of Awesomeness.

For the past few years, the schools sponsored a jog-a-thon as a fundraiser, and the schools would arrange for inflatable houses to help kids celebrate the end of the year, especially those students who scored well on their state tests.

But the state has switched to a new test, and the results won’t be available until the fall; meanwhile, the Parent Teacher Organization began working with the Step it Up! company for a new online fundraiser to benefit the PTO, which would culminate with an end-of-year party on each campus.

Northstar Elementary Principal John Keitges tells KNIA/KRLS News it was decided to combine everything into a year-ending event.

“Talked about fundraising efforts which are mostly online donations; that essentially lead to a Day of Awesomeness, which included kids running around, getting some good physical activity, which kind of took the place of the jog-a-thon…and bringing in inflatables, which kind of took the place of some of our celebration of student scores in the past,” Keitges says.

Along with the inflatables, there will be a live DJ and dance area and an obstacle course.

Northstar will have its Day of Awesomeness on Thursday, May 23rd while West will have its the next day, on Friday the 24th; each will start at 9:00 a.m.

Knoxville Middle School held its own separate fundraiser; it will host its own Day of Awesomeness tomorrow.