Southgate Elementary School’s upcoming walkathon will kick off this Friday and it looks to be a big fundraiser.

Last year students earned $13,534, almost $2,000 more than 2009’s total.

For the past 16 years, students at Southgate have collected donations from the community to walk around the block that Southgate is on. On average, the walkathon earns between $12-$14,000 annually, money which is used by Southgate’s Parent Teacher Committee to buy school supplies and pay for lectures, field trips and other necessary educational opportunities.