Folsom Teens Raise Over $50,000 for Local Schools with 'Lace Up for Learning' Run

A group of Folsom teenagers has reached a major milestone in their mission to support local education. Asher Chang, Minho Kim, Rocco Jerwers, Jack Armstrong, and Landon Simpson—now sophomores at Vista del Lago High School—have raised more than $50,000 for Sacramento-area classrooms through their "Lace Up for Learning" charity run.

The annual event, which includes a 5K, 10K, and a kids' fun run, began as an idea the friends had in middle school. Since its inception in 2024, the group has worked to turn their shared passion for cross country and track into a way to fund essential classroom supplies that teachers often have to purchase out of pocket.

All proceeds from the race are distributed through the DonorsChoose platform. This allows the organizers to target specific requests from teachers, ranging from calculators and Chromebook chargers to expanding school libraries. To date, the project has impacted thousands of students across the region.

The third annual event, held this past Sunday at Philip Cohn Park, saw more than 200 participants join the cause. While the group originally set a $20,000 goal for this year, the community response pushed their total lifetime fundraising past the $50,000 mark.

Parents of the organizers say they have watched the initiative grow from a middle school project into a significant community nonprofit. The organizers plan to continue the event through their high school years, maintaining their commitment to improving local educational resources.

Explore NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the valley.