School children “finish the race” for Boston bombing victims



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Hundreds of students from Blessed Savior Catholic School in Milwaukee's north side came together to "finish the race" in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

“We wanted to help a good cause,” said 6th grader Pressious Duckworth.

On Monday, 224 students from K3 through 8th grade walked around the block of the school on 55th Street.  Each lap represented one mile of the Boston Marathon.  While many walked, others chose to run.

“I want to do all 26,” said 6th grader Jamie Lewis.

Lewis is one of the students that came up with the idea to "finish the race" for those who couldn't on April 15th, when two bombs near the finish line went off, killing three people and injuring more than 260.

“We felt sad for the people who had lost loved ones and stuff like that,” said Lewis.

“It hurts to see that just all these people are hurt for no reason,” said 6th grader Pitta Kujjo.

“They really wanted to do something aside from making posters or a card, so they made a video to help talk about their feelings and help promote a school community,” said 6th grade teacher Tameka Smith.

As part of the event, the school also raised money for the bombing victims.

“We pretty much just went door-to-door,” said Kujjo.

Over the course of several weeks, they raised close to a $1,000.  All of the money raised will go directly to the One Fund Boston.

“It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something,” said Kujjo.

It's a gesture that extends more than a thousand miles away, helping others while learning a valuable lesson one step at a time.

“They just aren't thinking about themselves, but they're thinking about people they don't even know.  People that they'll never meet,” said Blessed Savior Catholic School Principal Barbara O’Donnell.