Kids need to move. It’s good for their health, good for their learning, good for sleep, and good for any anxiety they may feel in these challenging times. And through April, it’s great for the 17 elementary, K-8, and middle schools in Seattle Public Schools’ District 7.
The Southeast Seattle Schools Fundraising Alliance (SESSFA) launched its 5th annual move-a-thon, an “equitable fundraiser,” to raise over $500,000 for essential classroom materials, family support, and educational programs supporting 6,700 students. The campaign began on Monday and ends on April 30th.
Moving to raise awareness, and dollars
The cornerstone of the fundraiser is Move-a-Thon events, where kids are encouraged to join exercise activities such as dancing, running, circuit stations, gardening, yoga, field days, and movement workshops at their schools. Emerson Elementary will host a “Glow-in-the-Dark Dance Party” as part of the campaign. Cascade Bicycle Club and Double Dutch Divas will encourage students at Wing Luke Elementary to get moving during a day of play. Kids will track their movement activities and let people know they are participating.
“Move-a-Thons celebrate and encourage active play while also spreading the word about this essential fundraising drive,” said Meghan Bedell, on the SESSFA leadership team. “It’s a way for our students to engage, have fun, and make a real impact on their schools and communities.”
Wall-sits for awareness. From 2024 move-a-thon video highlights. (Video: SESSFA)
Why the Move-a-Thon matters
“At a time when Seattle Public Schools faces a projected $100 million budget shortfall in 2025-26, schools in Southeast Seattle — where 81% of students are children of color and over half qualify for free or reduced lunch — are disproportionately impacted. Many of these schools have limited PTA fundraising capacity compared to other city areas. The equitable fundraising model helps close this gap by pooling funds and distributing them where they are needed most among the 17 Southeast Seattle Schools,” said a press release.
Many schools in District 7 are Title I-funded and rely on federal funding for the higher percentages of children from low-income homes attending their schools. With federal education, diversity and equity dollars on the Trump administration’s cutting board, many Washington districts in financial crisis, and an enormous state budget deficit for the 2025-27 biennium, education advocates don’t expect schools to see substantial funding increases.
SESSFA uses an equitable distribution formula to distribute the funds raised to ensure that schools whose populations are furthest from educational equity — for example, those with the highest proportion of special needs students, students experiencing homelessness, or low-income families — receive a higher percentage of dollars.
Filling in the gaps where PTAs can’t
SESSFA was formed to address the disparity in PTA fundraising. Traditional PTA fundraising models often result in schools in more affluent communities having greater access to resources while schools in low-income communities struggle to get by.
“It’s hard to put into words the impact SESSFA continues to have on our school. We’ve been able to — for the first time ever — offer classroom grants to teachers, supply food, childcare, and interpretation services for every PTSA event,” said Matt Burtness, 2nd Grade Teacher at Dunlap Elementary.
“SESSFA funds have been an amazing help to our school,” said Sara Givens, a parent at MLK Elementary. “Our PTA just doesn’t have the fundraising capacity that some schools do, but shared fundraising enables us to provide grocery cards for families, classroom supplies, snacks for students, t-shirts, and support community events like STEM and literacy nights.”
Over the last several years, SESSFA has raised more than $1.5 million for its member schools.
“The Move-a-Thon Fundraising Drive is a powerful, positive way for proponents of public education to support the future of our Seattle community today,” said Bedell.
Click the image to watch a video of 2024 Move-a-Thon fun. (Video courtesy SESSFA)
How to participate
To donate to the “High 5 for Year 5” Move-a-Thon, go to the SESSFA donation webpage. Sign up to be a leader or member of a digital fundraising team, by using the organization’s Start a Fundraiser tool. Then,
1. On the Choose a Fundraising Option page, click your preferred selection — Join a Team, Create a Team, or Create My Own Page
2. Follow the prompts to create or log in to your account
3. Complete the setup steps, then share your Move-a-Thon fundraiser with your network
For more information or to donate, visit SESSFA.org or contact sessfa_info@sesecwa.org.
