Friday, March 6, 2026
The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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Flying Colors

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Caleb Copeland, left, 20, junior of Bennett, Colorado, and Jayden Copeland, right, 20, CSC graduate of Bennett, Colorado, are splattered with pink powder Saturday during the “Powder to the People” 5k. —Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky
Caleb Copeland, left, 20, junior of Bennett, Colorado, and Jayden Copeland, right, 20, CSC graduate of Bennett, Colorado, are splattered with pink powder Saturday during the “Powder to the People” 5k. —Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Color flew through the air as 26 participants met at the clock tower Saturday to run in the third annual “Powder to the People” 5K hosted by the Resident Life Association.

Every resident director is required to put on two events for the student body every semester. Mariah Nelson, resident director of Andrews Hall, chose the 5K as one of her events.

“The color run gets a lot of students involved, and I just like a lot of color,” Nelson said.

Courtney Mungur, right, 19, sophomore of Newcastle, Wyoming, sprays Curtis Stevens, left, 22, senior of Ogallala, with blue powder Saturday at the “Powder to the People” 5k run. —Photo by Sara Tweet
Courtney Mungur, right, 19, sophomore of Newcastle, Wyoming, sprays Curtis Stevens, left, 22, senior of Ogallala, with blue powder Saturday at the “Powder to the People” 5k run. —Photo by Sara Tweet

Although some of the RAs participated in the race in the past two years, this was the first year the majority of them collaborated to host the event. Although some upgrades have been made from the past two years of the 5K, there is room for additional improvements.

“I think it (the course) was more difficult to follow (this year), but the coloring was a lot better,” Chelsea Haynes, sophomore of Auburn, said.

The first female to cross the finish line was Cassie Mitchell, admissions coordinator of Chadron. Leading the males was Alejandro Garcia, senior of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. Runners’ times were not clocked.

Family Day Weekend brought relations on campus to run with their students.

Rebecca Volf, left, 22, senior of Wood River; Ashley Stephens, left center, 24, of Chadron; and Nicky Banzhaf, right center, 20, junior of Chadron, run past Angela Cruz, right, 20, junior of Valentine, as she splatters the group with pink powder Saturday during the “Powder to the People” 5k run. —Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky
Rebecca Volf, left, 22, senior of Wood River; Ashley Stephens, left center, 24, of Chadron; and Nicky Banzhaf, right center, 20, junior of Chadron, run past Angela Cruz, right, 20, junior of Valentine, as she splatters the group with pink powder Saturday during the “Powder to the People” 5k run. —Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Tammy Merchen, mother of Taylor Merchen, sophomore, both of Norris, South Dakota, said she and her daughter have done a warrior dash and rugged maniac, but never a color run.

“We ran and walked…there were a couple of spots we were like, ‘do we run straight?’ But it was good. It was fun,” Tammy Merchen said.

CSC students also participated in the race, mostly running in groups.

“We kind of started off together, then we split,” Patricia Miller, sophomore, of Newcastle, Wyoming, said.

Brianna Bussinger and Shaniya DeNaeyer, both sophomores of Valentine, said they would definitely participate in the run again.