In 1985, Mike Casey took his Portola students on a hike up Sweeney Ridge to explore and learn more about the elementary school's namesake, Gaspar de Portolá. What started as an event with his classroom has grown into a cherished annual tradition involving the entire school and community. Leading up to the hike, students across all grade levels learn about the Spanish explorer Portolá, the Native American tribes that inhabited the area, and the impact these explorers had on the Bay Area. The ascent to the top of Sweeney Ridge is challenging but the reward is worthwhile; on a clear day, the vista is home to a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Francisco bay to the east.
After 39 years of teaching, Mr. Casey retired and in 2010 the hike was named in his honor. Mike Casey's Sweeney Ridge Hike also celebrates the culmination of Portola Elementary Parent-Teacher Association’s (PTA) annual Hike-A-Thon fundraiser. Students, teachers, and staff at Portola raise money during the month prior to help fund numerous programs and events for the current school year to enrich our school environment that our school could not otherwise afford. Outdoor education, educational software and hardware, PE equipment, fifth grade promotion ceremony, classroom modernization, and teacher/staff trainings are just a few examples of what the PTA funds. The Hike-A-Thon fundraiser is the PTA’s single largest and most important fundraising event that accounts for almost 60% of the PTA’s incoming donation budget.
The success of the Hike-A-Thon fundraiser is dependent on the support from the entire Portola community. Any donation, large or small, is greatly appreciated.
All donations are tax deductible using tax identification number 94-6173240 and we highly encourage you to leverage your company’s corporate donation matching program to easily double your contribution.
Our Hike-A-Thon fundraiser will run for the entire month of October, but please consider donating today. The hike will take place on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Students from all grade levels will start at Portola and will walk to the top of Sweeney Ridge. More details about our hike will be announced soon, stay tuned!
Thank you so much for your engagement, support, and participation in this event because together we can climb any mountain!
We'll have prizes for the entire school when we hit our goals such as: Pajama Day, Pizza Party, Silly-String-A-Teacher, and more!
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