Fifth-graders at R. Roger Rowe School ran laps alongside 101-year-old Medal of Honor recipient Royce Williams on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Rancho Santa Fe school's fourth annual Take Flight Jog-a-thon for Honor Flight San Diego.

Williams, a retired Navy captain who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, wore the medal he received at the State of the Union address earlier this year, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. He earned the honor for a long-classified act of courage: downing four Soviet MiG-15s in a 35-minute dogfight during the Korean War in 1952, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. First Lady Melania Trump placed the medal around his neck during the ceremony, according to the Department of Defense.

Students heard veterans' stories, shook hands and collected autographs on their T-shirts. Some sang "Happy Birthday" to Vietnam veteran Peter-Rolf Ohnstad, known as "Captain Pete," who turned 80 that day. Ohnstad spent 10 years in the Navy flying the E-2B Hawkeye and 30 years as a Merchant Marine. He had just returned from his first Honor Flight trip.

Tom Crosby, who was held as a prisoner of war in the Philippines during World War II from 1942 to 1945 starting at age 8, came back for his fourth straight jog-a-thon. "You help us by sharing our stories," Crosby told the students, according to the Union-Tribune.

Vietnam veteran David Parker, a retired Poway Unified School District third-grade teacher, ran laps with the kids. Parker served in the Marine Corps from 1967 to 1968 and taught for 32 years. He ran in every America's Finest City Half Marathon for more than 40 consecutive years starting in 1978.

Fifth-grade student leaders and teacher Jessica Henke organized the event. In the weeks before, they presented slideshows to every classroom about Honor Flight San Diego's mission: flying World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans on all-expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials built in their honor. Each trip costs $3,000 per veteran.

On the day of the event, fifth-graders decorated the field with American flags and banners, served as emcees and played music while classmates ran laps by grade level. For the first time, Rowe middle schoolers joined in.

The school's previous jog-a-thon raised more than $33,000 earlier in spring 2026. A fundraising total for the Oct. 22 event has not been announced.

Honor Flight San Diego Director Saundra Cima told students their contributions help send more veterans on the trip. The organization flew 90 veterans to Washington, D.C., Sept. 25-27, one of two Honor Flight trips in 2026.

Principal Joe Erpelding closed the event by leading students in the Pledge of Allegiance and a standing ovation for the veterans.