Engaging Eagles: Arnold Color Run paints pictures of kindness

October 10, 2025

Clouds of colored powder rained down on dozens of Arnold Elementary School students this fall during an event that sprinkled community spirit across campus.
 
Students, teachers and parents left Arnold’s walking trail covered in red, orange, green, blue and yellow powder after having fun in the 2025 Arnold Color Run. Seven members of the Arnold Be The Change (BTC) Club planned and hosted the event, which involved Lincoln Public Schools students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. 
 
Ivy, Alivia, Marena, Santana, Lyla, Kora and Karson are the current BTC Club members. Ivy and Santana said one of the group’s biggest goals for the color run was to show the community how Arnold students treat each other with respect. They said hundreds of Eagles display kindness, consideration and appreciation to each other every day at school.
 
“Students at Arnold are kind, respectful and do their work,” Ivy said. “Arnold students help each other when they need help.”
 
“All the Arnold teachers are respectful to students, and students show respect to teachers and other students,” Santana said. “Students listen to each other, care about each other and check in with each other.”

 
Emma George, Emily Faubel and Kim Luis co-sponsor BTC Club activities for students. George said the seven Eagles did a great job organizing the color run. They met after school on several Mondays to email parents and teachers about the upcoming event, and they created a series of posters to announce the run to everyone in the building.
 
“All of the decisions from what colors (of powder) we’re getting to what snacks we’re getting, the students have decided,” George said. “We’ve kind of just guided them. The students wanted an opportunity to show off our theme this year, which is respect, and they got the chance to plan it all. It has been fun to watch them.”

 
Students in third through fifth grade are welcome to join BTC Club, which has been active in Arnold’s hallways for the past four years. BTC Club students lead the Arnold chant at monthly school assemblies and serve others throughout the fall, winter and spring. Past projects have included raising money for teacher supplies, holding a coin drive for Food Bank of Lincoln and gathering winter hats, gloves and coats for Arnold families. They will be collecting hygiene supplies for area residents during the second quarter this year.
 
Lyla said she has enjoyed being part of BTC Club. Why does it make her feel good?
 
“Because it makes me feel like I’m more responsible,” Lyla said.
 
George said she has been impressed with the bright talents that BTC Club students have displayed in their activities. She said the color run was the latest opportunity for them to sharpen their knowledge in many leadership areas.
 
“It gives them a chance to learn those real-world applicable skills that they’re going to use no matter what they do,” George said. “As the school counselor, one of my big pieces that I push is college and career readiness, and the skills of learning to write and communicate and email and organize and think through logistics, what great college and career readiness skills!”

 
BTC Club meets for six weeks each quarter of the school year. George said she has seen the club’s enrollment increase from fall to spring in previous years, as students can sign up for different groups each quarter. Many Eagles have been attracted to the club’s themes of community involvement and school spirit.
 
“At BTC, we all get to share our opinions and make decisions,” Lyla said. “Students want to help their teachers. Arnold students listen to the adults and also enjoy helping their Eagle Pride buddies.”
 
“I like being at Arnold because people help each other and check on each other,” Alivia said.
 
Younger children took off from the color run’s starting line first, and older students and parents followed them around the curved path. Teachers scooped cups of colored powder out of buckets and tossed them on laughing Eagles as they walked or ran by.
 
After everyone had crossed the finish line, they gathered on a grassy area in the middle of the trail. They then tossed large amounts of extra powder in the air for the next five minutes. Everyone smiled as the sky became filled with colorful dust that landed on their clothes, hair and hands.
 
BTC Club members said one of their other top goals for the color run was for everyone to have fun. Santana said she was happy to know that their planning efforts had paid off in a cheerful way.
 
“It means a lot to me to know that I’m helping others,” Santana said.
 
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