I can’t recall my very first official project, as I’ve been handling projects for as long as I can remember, regardless of where I’ve worked. However, the earliest one that stands out was at my kid’s elementary school many years ago.
The most significant fundraising event of the year was the Jogathon, anticipated by both the kids and teachers. It was a great outlet for the children’s energy, and the teachers would join in, running alongside the students to fun music. Everyone was rewarded with popsicles at the end. It was a fun break from the usual school routine.
The project was handed to me as a pile of scribbled papers in a random file drawer in the main office, along with an unreadable list of volunteers. I couldn’t determine what had been done, so I just started somewhere.
I sent out a bunch of flyers, gave the kids sign-up forms to gather donations, and convinced a grocery store to donate ice cream sandwiches and ice for free. But the real key was communication. I collaborated with students and parents to spread the word about the significance of Jogathon in fundraising for essential school extras.
The Jogathon was a success! We exceeded our fundraising goal, and every volunteer showed up and performed their tasks perfectly, from setting up the track, handing out ice cream and ensuring the kids moved on and off the track safely.
Over the next five years, I collaborated with parent volunteers and students to transform Jogathon into an efficient and well-organized event.
By the time my children finished elementary school, we had established a dedicated cabinet in the school specifically for Jogathon, stocked with supplies and a comprehensive “Start Here” binder, accompanied by matching online documentation. This setup allows anyone to seamlessly take over and manage Jogathon.
Jogathon remains that school’s largest fundraiser each year!
With 20+ years project management experience, Barbara Kephart has led projects across industries like medical software, clinical trials, and cybersecurity. With experience teaching technical project management and stakeholder engagement, Barbara is dedicated to helping companies pivot, prioritize, and complete projects with Chief Project Officer-level expertise, project professionals, practical training, and hands-on management—without the executive-level price tag.