McClancy’s annual Walk-a-Thon has recently taken place on Friday, October 24th, 2025. When this time of year rolls around, it is important to remember the man we honor every year: Jim Michelini. He graduated in 1964 and had the opportunity for a partial athletic grant at Manhattan College for track and field. In 1967 he passed away due to a car accident, but was remembered by his friends and teammates for years to come. These same people ensured he would be remembered by future generations by honoring him through this fundraiser.
For this year’s Walk-a-Thon, the money raised is planned to go towards refurbishing the Squeri Center, according to our principal Mr. Castrataro, offering a more comfortable place for students to gather before and after school. We raised a total of $99,049.67, which is $34,049.67 over our original goal! This was most likely due to the new interactive experience the school introduced this year in which the community could track the participation, encouraging students to donate in larger amounts and increasing the level of participation when compared to previous years.
For the day of the event itself, most students agreed to have enjoyed their time as they got the chance to hang out with their friends and make memories. Students from the Photography Club and the Yearbook Club were working to take photos of students as they walked around the neighborhood while other students even brought in their own personal cameras to take pictures and record videos for memories from high school that they can enjoy years from now! At the end of the event, as is the tradition at McClancy, everyone was awarded with a cookie from Chip City of their chosen flavor.
Overall, this year’s Walk-a-Thon donations were more successful than ever and our students were able to fill the community streets with joy and camaraderie, making it a great way to honor the memory of the young man that the event was created for.
