A new school year means new fundraisers.

By the end of September and beginning of October, Oak Harbor had four schools conducting Associated Student Body-organized fundraisers.

Both of the middle schools and two elementary schools are raising money to be directed toward projects benefiting students.

North Whidbey Middle School, which is doing a catalog fundraiser that ends Friday, Oct. 3, will direct the money raised toward the ASB, sports teams and other activities the students do, according to Ramona Ferguson, a bookkeeper for the school.

“We sell cookie dough, magazines, and this year, they also have keepsakes, books, cards, calendars and more,” Ferguson said.

Students are asked to visit friends, neighbors and family, offering to sell them items out of a catalog.

Ferguson said that anyone not closely associated with a student, but interested in helping with the fundraiser, may visit the middle schools to obtain order forms and brochures.

Students who sell the most items receive rewards such as getting to see a movie or going on a limo ride to get ice cream.

Oak Harbor Middle School students held a walkathon last month to raise money.

The objective was for students to collect money donations before the walk, which happened after classes. Not every student is required to participate in the fundraiser or to walk.

Lisa Yoder, bookkeeper for OHMS, said, “We do encourage everybody to do the walk.”

The students raised almost $8,000, Yoder said, which will go toward purchasing a big screen for school assemblies and signs for the building.

The walkathon included a Principal’s Challenge, which saw Principal Shane Evans run around the track. Students could sign up for the Principal’s Challenge. Any who walked as many laps as Evans ran could go to lunch with him.

Evans ran 12 laps, and five students matched him.

Broad View Elementary also had a walkathon on Sept. 25.

According to Carolyn Blossom, a para-educator at the school, students there raised about $9,000, which is more than last year.

The money will go toward playground equipment, enrichment programs, a new basketball hoop and other things of that nature, as well as toward field trips, transportation, clubs and safety patrol.

“The kids walked … about 450 miles,” Blossom said. “They did really good. Our highest walker walked 3.75 miles.”

Every student in kindergarten through fifth grade participated, and each received a popsicle at the end. Blossom said the highest fundraiser won a movie night.

Oak Harbor Elementary also will be holding its own walkathon Oct. 3. Attendance secretary Pam Glein said proceeds will go toward class field trips.

“Each grade has a specific field trip they’re raising money for,” Glein said.

Last year, the students raised about $5,600.