One Week. One Walk. One BIG Impact.
Blackhawk Walk 2026
September 14–18, 2026
Blackhawk Walk: Friday, September 18 | 1:30–2:30 p.m.
The Blackhawk Walk is Sheridan Elementary’s biggest, loudest, kid-powered fundraiser of the year, and quite possibly the only fundraiser where raising money may end with your child getting to throw a pie at one of their teachers. For one week, our students rally their families, collect donations, watch their classrooms climb the leaderboard, win some pretty fantastic prizes, and work together toward one big goal: raising $20,000 for Sheridan Elementary. Then on Friday, we celebrate. Students head outside with their classes for the Blackhawk Walk, moving through fun, active stations around the school property while we cheer them on, turn up the school spirit, and celebrate everything they accomplished during the week. And the best part for parents? There is absolutely nothing to buy. No wrapping paper. No tubs of cookie dough taking over your freezer. No catalog mysteriously living on your kitchen counter for three weeks. Friends and family simply donate directly to support Sheridan Elementary.
Really, it’s a win for everyone.
So… What Exactly Is the Blackhawk Walk?
The Blackhawk Walk is Sheridan Elementary students’ only student-led fundraiser, which means this one week does a whole lot of heavy lifting for the rest of our school year.
Money raised through the Blackhawk Walk helps PTO fund the extras that make school feel a little more special: classroom supplies and teacher resources, Donuts with Grownups, Blitzen’s Barn, Teacher Appreciation Week, 5th Grade Camp, Spring Carnival, and plenty of other projects, events, surprises, and needs that pop up throughout the year.
Our goal for 2026 is $20,000.
We know, we know. That sounds like a gigantic number until hundreds of Blackhawks start working on it together. Every $5 from Grandma, $20 from an uncle, online donation from a family friend, and envelope full of change adds up.
It’s As Easy As 1-2-3!
01
Collect Donations
Each student receives a Blackhawk Walk envelope (generously donated by MinuteMan Press) and has their own personal goal of $50. Families can collect donations online or the old-school way with cash and checks. Online and offline donations all count toward the student’s classroom total.
02
Win Prizes
Throughout Blackhawk Walk week, students have opportunities to be entered into daily prize drawings (2 students per day, per grade), work toward individual prizes, help their classroom climb the leaderboard, and possibly earn some very important bragging rights.
03
Blackhawk Walk!
On Friday afternoon, fundraising week turns into a celebration. Classes will head outside at staggered times and travel through quick, active stations around the school property. Expect movement, games, cheering, Blackhawk pride, and a whole lot of very excited elementary school kids.
How Do We Collect Donations?
We’re keeping this simple for families, grandparents, neighbors, friends, coworkers, and anyone else your child convinces to join Team Blackhawk.
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Visit our Blackhawk Walk Givebutter page and click Register.
Register your student and choose their classroom as their team so every donation is credited correctly.
Once your student is registered, you’ll have a page you can share with grandparents, extended family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or that aunt who has never once said no to your kid.
Donations can be made online in just a few seconds.
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Prefer the classic fundraiser envelope? We’ve got you.
Students can bring cash, coins, or checks to school in their Blackhawk Walk envelope during fundraising week. PTO will count the donation, record it so our totals and classroom leaderboards stay accurate, and send the envelope back home so your student can continue collecting.
Checks should be made payable to Sheridan Elementary PTO.
Please include your student’s name and teacher so we know exactly who gets credit.
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Venmo + PayPal
Donations may also be sent through:
Venmo: @sheridanpto
Code: 9559PayPal: @SESinPTO
Please, please, please include the student’s name AND teacher with the donation. Otherwise we have money, which is lovely, but absolutely no clue which tiny Blackhawk convinced you to send it.
OKAY! Tell us about the prizes! We thought you’d never ask.
Every day during Blackhawk Walk week, there will be two prize drawings per grade for students who receive any size contributions that day. Translation: participating throughout the week gives students more opportunities to win. But the daily prizes are just the beginning.
The Big Prizes
The top-earning boy and girl will each win a brand-new bicycle. The third-place fundraiser will receive a Family Fun Basket, and the fourth-place fundraiser will receive a Sports Basket, courtesy of Sheridan Recreation. And then there’s the $50 Club. Every student who reaches their individual $50 fundraising goal will be entered into a drawing for the opportunity to... PIE AN SES TEACHER IN THE FACE during the Blackhawk walk. (We assume no further explanation is needed regarding the motivational power of this prize.)
Classroom Prizes
This is also a team effort. The top-earning classroom will celebrate with an ice cream party, while the second-place classroom earns a popcorn party. Teachers are getting in on the fun, too. Participating classrooms give teachers opportunities to win daily $15 Amazon gift cards, and the teacher of the top-earning classroom will receive $100. So yes, your child's teacher has every reason to encourage the chaos, and it all benefits your student’s class.
Blackhawk Walk Q + A
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Fundraising runs Monday, September 14 through Friday, September 18, 2026.
The actual Blackhawk Walk celebration takes place Friday, September 18 from 1:30–2:30 p.m.
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Participation is encouraged, but families should contribute at whatever level makes sense for them. Every donation helps, and students will participate in the Friday Walk with their school community.
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Our suggested individual student goal is $50. That is a goal, not a required donation. The more they bring in, the more chances they have to win prizes.
Our school-wide goal is $20,000.
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Yes!
Online and offline donations count toward classroom totals. Just be sure your student is registered through Givebutter and connected to the correct classroom team.
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All Sheridan Elementary students will participate in the Friday celebration with their classes. Fundraising helps us reach our school-wide goal, but Walk Day is a celebration for our students and school community.
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Volunteers will help PTO with counting and crediting donations during the week. On Friday, they will guide the activities and flow of Walk Day. Depending on where we need you, that may mean helping at a station, directing classes, cheering students on, assisting with transitions, or helping keep everything moving.
We'll give you the information you need. No Blackhawk Walk degree required.
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Go to givebutter.com/ses-pto-BHW and select Register.
Add your student and choose their classroom as their team. Once they're registered, you can share their fundraising page with friends and family.
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Absolutely. Please do.
Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, neighbors, coworkers, former babysitters, the neighbor who always shows up with extra cookies, the family friend who Venmos $5 and calls it a day, the coworker who forwards it to the whole office, the former babysitter who still asks for updates, the “I saw this on Facebook” enthusiast
Share your student's Givebutter page and they can donate directly online.
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That's intentional!
Students can bring their envelope to school throughout fundraising week. PTO counts the money, records the donation so our totals stay current, and sends the envelope back home so students can continue collecting.
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Yes. Sheridan Elementary PTO is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and donations to the Blackhawk Walk are tax deductible.
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Parents who would like to participate in Walk Day should sign up as volunteers. Because the event happens during the school day and involves students on school grounds, volunteers must have an up-to-date Safe Visitor background check.
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