Where does the money that is raised go?
Funds collected from this year’s Martyr Marathon event will help underwrite teacher grants throughout the year, support program implementation including our new CKLA Literacy Program, maintain the School Family App, offset costs of the School Musical, and underwrite the cost of professional development for our teachers. Additional funds raised will be used for new student desks/seating, security upgrades and technology subscriptions. Your support is an integral part of our success.

How do students collect pledges and raise money?
We’re using PledgeStar again, our convenient online fundraising tool that simplifies requesting pledges and securing donations from friends and family near and far. Please refer to the instructions below (Under “Register Now”) to register and start fundraising today!

When does the walk/event begin and what does it entail?
Grade-level Martyr Land Activities will take place throughout the week, starting Monday, September 15th, leading up to the main event on Friday, September 19, 2025. The walk for students in grades K through 8 will begin following all-school Mass (approximately 9:15 AM) and continue until 11:45 AM.

Early Childhood Dance Parties
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) will have their dance party on September 22nd. Preschool, and PreK classes will have their dance party on September 18th. Stay tuned for more details!

We use an awesome web-based fundraising system that makes it SUPER EASY for you to request pledges from your family and friends, and for them to make secure credit card donations online. It’s fun, it’s quick, and people who use it typically raise twice as much as those who don’t! Fundraising begins Friday, August 29th, and will continue until the date of the Martyr Marathon on Friday, September 19th.

Parents, please help us reach our all-school goal of $100,000 and REGISTER NOW by following the steps below. You will register as a family. Families with multiple students will have their totals split among their children.

Remember, Martyr Marathon is September 19th, so please REGISTER NOW to help our school raise as much as we can for the continuation of security, technology, and operational upgrades.

1. Go to  http://pledgestar.com/Martyr 
2. Click on “Not Registered For This Year’s Event”
3. Enter your name and email address (of the parent/guardian), then click “Register”
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify your email address, add your student walker(s), and enter family and friends to receive pledge/donation requests.

Once your PledgeStar registration is complete, the system will email or text pledge/donation requests to family and friends which allows them to make secure credit card donations online, or they can use the pay by check option and they will receive instructions by email or text from PledgeStar. You can add additional family and friends on a later date as well.

Other exciting features: you can share your fundraising page via social media, you will get notified each time a pledge/donation is made, you can track your fundraising progress online, and a thank you note from your child will automatically be sent to those who donate online.

We encourage each family to set up a fundraising page! However, if you simply want to send checks to the school as it has been done in the past, we will accept them. Make checks out to “SSM Home and School” and send them to St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School (16701 S Street, Omaha NE 68135) in an envelope marked “Martyr Marathon” with the child’s name in the check memo no later than September 19th, 2025. If you need receipts to give your donors collected outside of PledgeStar, please email us at ssmhomeandschool@gmail.com.

Students in K-2nd and 3rd-8th grades will have separate routes. Fun stations will be set up along the routes for the classes to rotate through. After the walk, students can enjoy popcorn and dance to the music provided by the DJ.

All-School Goal
Our All-School Goal for 2025 is $100,000, and we believe we can achieve it with your support! If we reach this target, all students will receive a special goal bag filled with gift cards, coupons, and other fun items AND we will also earn a day off from school on October 27th!

Family Goal Prizes

Each family is asked to raise $125 to help us reach our goal. Meeting this family goal earns you an SSM Charging Cable Keychain. But don’t stop there! We have three additional prize tiers and a 21st Anniversary exclusive offer (see below):

• Family Tier ($125): SSM 3-in-1 Charging Cable Keychain
• Tier One ($300): SSM Embroidered “St. Stephen’s” Trucker Hat
  
• Tier Two ($500): SSM Navy Sling Bag
• Tier Three ($800): SSM All Black Owala Water Bottle

Social Media and Blitz Prizes

Exciting daily prizes await! Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/SSMHomeAndSchool and Instagram: @SSMHomeandSchool to participate. Starting August 29th and leading up to the event, we’ll post fun questions and prize giveaways. Don’t miss out, like/follow our pages and join the fun!

Grade Level Parties

Students will compete by grade level for a chance to win one of three sweet Candy Land-themed parties! Grades will be competing against each other to see who can raise the most and score one of these SWEET parties!
Gold, Silver and Bronze honors will be awarded to each grade based on who raises the most money; the Gold-winning class (top fundraiser) in each grade will receive a class party.

For families with multiple students, donations will be divided evenly among each child’s grade level for prize consideration.

Top Earning Students for Each Grade
The student in each grade level who collects the most donors (through PledgeStar or checks) will earn the chance to challenge a teacher in a Candy Land–themed competition at the post-event assembly!

Show your school spirit with our new SSM Flames door hangers, created in partnership with The Makery!
Personalize yours with optional interchangeable icons for your favorite activities—like soccer, football, music and more. Starting at $75 and all proceeds benefit our school. Only 50 available—order yours today and help support our students!

ORDER HERE

We need enthusiastic volunteers like you to ensure our 21st Annual Martyr Marathon is a great success! There are many ways to get involved, both before, during, and after the event. Plus, your volunteer efforts could help your student’s grade win a party! Use the links below to sign up! Alternatively, log onto the  SSM School App, click on the ‘volunteer’ icon to sign up. Signups coming soon! 

• Volunteer the Day of the Event

• Volunteer Pre and Post Event

• 8th Grade SignUp
• Early Childhood SignUp

Join us for the Volunteer Informational Meeting the night before on Thursday, September 18th at 7:30 – 8PM in the Dining Room. We will stuff popcorn bags following the meeting around 8 PM. 

This year we’re turning our school into Martyr Land, a fun, faith-filled journey inspired by Candy Land.  Throughout the week, students will participate in exciting activities and friendly challenges leading up to Martyr Marathon. Each day brings a new stop along the ‘path to Jesus’ encouraging students to have fun, work together, help our community and show school spirit. 

Monday 9/15 Martyr Land Sugar & Sketch Art Contest 

Display your artistic ability! Enter the Sugar & Sketch Art Contest for a chance to win!

Our judging panel—Father Matthew, Amy Pugh from our school office, and art teacher Miss Suto—will select the top 3 pieces in each division (PreK–2nd, 3rd–5th, and 6th–8th). Judging will be based on creativity and how well the artwork conveys SSM’s values, mission, and our Martyr Marathon theme.

• Deadline: Artwork must be turned in by Tuesday, 9/9 at 3:00 PM in the school office.
• Size limit: No larger than 11×17.
• Labeling: Please include name and grade on the back.

Winners will be announced on Monday, 9/15. All entries will be proudly displayed in the “Gumdrop Gallery” in the school commons.

Tuesday 9/16 – Sweet Support Food Drive 

What grade can collect the most items for our food bank to help those in need?

All unopened food items are very appreciated! But the pantry is extra need of:

canned meats, cereal, spaghetti sauce, pasta noodles, peanut butter, beans and soup,

deodorant , laundry detergent, feminine products, toothbrushes, multipurpose cleaners. (Please NO glass jars)

Bring the food/personal care items to your classroom.  

Wednesday 9/17 – Lucky Lollipop 

Lollipops will be for sale in the school commons for $1 each during lunch and after school. Three lucky lollipops have a red dot hidden on the bottom of the stick. If yours has a dot, you’ll win a Candy Land–inspired SSM prize basket! The more lollipops you buy, the better your chances of winning. Either way, you still get to enjoy a sweet treat!

Lollipops are limited—get yours while supplies last!

Thursday 9/18 – ‘Name that Candy’ Challenge 

Work together with your classroom to decode the candy emojis. Can you figure out  which candy phrase each set of emojis represents?

Answers will be revealed at the end of the day.

 Each day during Martyr Marathon Week students can play “Guess the Goodies”! 

A jar of candy will be on display in the school commons. Submit ONE guess each day for how many pieces are inside to win the sweet treat.

The closest guess to the number of pieces without going over wins the jar!  In the event of a tie there will be a random draw.

Want to make a bigger impact? Does your employer have a Matching Gift policy? It’s a great way to make your donation go even further. Please reach out to ssmhomeandschool@gmail.com for a letter on behalf of St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School along with the IRS 501© (3) letter to submit to your company if they have not previously matched. Companies that have matched in the past include Union Pacific, First Data, 3M, Mutual of Omaha, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Raytheon, and more. 

Please ensure that your child’s permission slip is submitted to the school office by September 15th! Without a permission slip on file, your child will not be able to participate in the walk. If you need an additional copy please download it here.

• The East lot will be closed beginning after school on Thursday, Sept. 18th – Friday, Sept. 19th in the afternoon.
• On Friday, at 8:15 AM, the row of parking nearest the church in the south parking lot and north parking lot, as well as the east parking lot and the road around the west side of the church, will be blocked off.
• The south entrance will be closed from 9:30 to 11:45 AM. Additionally, the roundabout and the first row of parking on the North side of the school (drop-off lane) will be blocked. We respectfully ask that anyone attending Mass/Martyr Marathon avoid parking in these areas during arrival.
• Martyr Marathon and Mass parking should take place in the North Parking lot in the second row and beyond. Any cars in the South lot after 9:30 AM will be blocked in until 11:45 AM
• Exceptions will be made for handicap-accessible vehicles.
• All barricades/cones in each lot will be lifted at 11:45 AM for school pick-up.

Premier Sponsors:

Elite Learning Academy and Preschool

Platinum Sponsors: 

Chick-Fil-A Legacy Village
Platte River Concrete

Gold Sponsors

Exterior Remodel and Design
Phoenix Restoration Services
Frost Periodontics & Dental Implants
Echelon Homes
Skutt Catholic High School
Scribner Enterprise

Silver Sponsors:

Frontier Bank
Fusion Dance Omaha
Major Team
Blue Kangaroo Packoutz of Omaha/Lincoln
CharterWest Bank
Tiburon Golf Club
Zoguri Probiotic
Schlecht Agency – American Family Insurance
402 Permanent Cosmetics
Carson Wealth
Elevate Search Partners
Village Pointe Pediatrics

Bronze Sponsors

Lori Havens, Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway
Nebraska Dance
Mary Lorraine’s Dance Center