Students run to help West Phila. school

Despite losing an hour of sleep on Saturday night due to daylight savings, students were out and about Sunday morning running for a cause. Over 100 students, faculty and community members ran the 5K PACE Race. PACE - Penn and the Community for Education - was organized by the Undergraduate Assembly to raise money for Drew Elementary School, located at 38th Street and Powelton Avenue. The race began at 10 a.m. on Locust Walk at 34th Street, continued to nearly 49th Street, then looped back and finished at the starting point. PACE raised over $1,600 from registration fees and donations. Fifteen minutes and 38 seconds after the sound of the starting horn, Engineering sophomore Anthony Sager crossed the finish line - nabbing first place and a $50 prize. Sager, a member of Penn's track and cross country teams who is taking time off this season, eagerly devoted his energy to the benefit race. "I decided to run to try to support our community and endorse a cause," Sager said. "A little extra incentive was to get in shape." Deirdre Brill, a second-year History graduate student, came in first place in the women's division. "I really enjoy running races, and the money was going to a good cause," Brill said. Community members welcomed the outpouring of volunteers. Maxine Jones, principal of Drew Elementary School, expressed her gratitude after the race through a megaphone to the crowd of participants. "We hear so many negative things about the Philadelphia public schools, and this is so positive," Jones said. "This helps bridge the gap between the community and its school system." UA members were also out in full force. Molly Siems, co-chairwoman of the UA's West Philadelphia Committee, said she was pleased with the event's success. "It was a lot of work, but it was definitely worth it," Siems said. Siems hopes that events such as the PACE Race, which the UA had been planning since September, will help unite the University and the nearby community. "They're physically close together, but Penn is so isolated from its surroundings," Siems said. "We have so much to give, and every little bit means so much to Drew."