SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - It’s the same 5K run/walk and family festival that you’ve known and loved for the past 10 years, it just has a different name and a new partnership with local parks. 

The San Juan Education Foundation’s Race to Educate and family festival - formerly known as Race for the STARS - has been scheduled for April 26 at Rio Americano High School. The 5K run/walk offers participants an opportunity for a fun morning of exercise, food, and live music while their registration fees are used to fund direct-to-teacher grants through the foundation. 

As a bonus, participants get to choose a school for which a portion of their registration fee benefits directly - $10 from each adult registration and $5 from each child’s registration. School groups can use the race as an easy fundraiser for their school.

The name change comes on the event’s 10-year anniversary.

“The annual 5K run/walk has been a great event and a huge success for San Juan Unified schools for 10 years. We decided to change the name to Race to Educate so that when people see and hear about the race, they have a clearer understanding of exactly what their registration - which is essentially a donation - will go to,” said foundation Executive Director Pam Lapinski. “And that’s to support our classrooms.” 

In addition to the name change, the foundation is partnering this year with seven local park districts to add another level of fun to the family festival. 

“The parks are going to have a major presence at the festival with activities and something fun for everybody,” Lapinski said.

Just like in years past, the event will also offer free food, live music by student bands, and will be emceed by the always fun and energetic Sami Kader from Sami’s Circuit - a popular exercise program in many of the district’s elementary schools. 

The activities begin with a warmup and surprise activity for kids at 7:50 a.m., and at 8 a.m. with the kids’ quarter-mile and half-mile races, followed by the 5K run/walk. The race is timed by ChronoTrack timing courtesy of Capitol Road Race Management, and every registrant receives a race shirt and official race photo. Awards are given to top finishers in age categories.

Packet pickup is available on April 25 at Rio Americano High School, or at 7 a.m. on race day. 

“It’s an amazing event, and anybody can participate,” Lapinski said. “For those that have a conflict, but who still want to support a school, you can also register to be a virtual runner.”

To register and for more information, go to www.racetoeducate.com