The students crowded behind the starting line, full of nervous energy and eager to begin.

“Are we ready?” shouted coach Jesse Llamas as a crowd of parents looked on. “On your mark, get set, go!”

And with that, a cheer went up and the annual Dallas International School Race for a Cause was underway.

The first race took place on the lower campus on Friday, March 10. Students ran laps around the inner courtyard of the school to raise funds for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Each lap completed by the students resulted in a donation to the hospital. Scottish Rite representatives even came to cheer along the students as they ran. Teachers and staff also hopped in, completing laps with the students to help encourage their progress. In total, the students ran 1,965 laps.

“This year, students were trained in groups to prepare for the race, so their motivation was even higher than last year,” said Severine Le Duff, the physical education teacher at the lower school and facilitator of the race. “In French, we like to say that union is strength.”

Upper school students joined in on the fun on Friday, March 17. Running their laps around the newly completed recess area in front of the Waterview Parkway campus, all participants enthusiastically raced to raise funds for the DIS chapter of BuildON, an organization that constructs schools in underprivileged areas in Haiti. Once again, teachers and administrators ran alongside the students to help raise more money for the cause. Upper school students finished with a total of 1,975 laps. With dance music playing on the speakers and a wealth of sunshine coming down onto the field while they ran, the cheerful mood was contagious.

As the final buzzer sounded and the runners slowed down, that positive energy refused to dissipate. Hugs and high-fives were exchanged and smiles ran rampant as the happy feeling of helping those in need settled on the tired group of students and staff.