BOILING SPRINGS, S.C. (WSPA) – An event happening this weekend will help fund scholarships for two Upstate students. It’s all in honor of a 16-year-old who passed away in 2021.

Kolson Elliott was killed in April of 2021 and the Heart of a Bulldog Fun Run is a way his family, along with the student body, is making sure his legacy lives on. The event is being held at Boiling Springs High School, where Elliott was a student.

“April 27th, was a day like any other day,” said Allyson Elliott. “From that moment, I faced every mother’s worst nightmare.”

Allyson Elliott’s youngest child, Kolson, was coming home from basketball practice when his mother said he went off a bridge trying to avoid another car.

“His basketball team came on the scene and many of our first responders in Spartanburg County worked with him and really just tried to save his life,” said his mother.

Elliott works at Boiling Springs High as a math teacher and volleyball coach.

Day by day, through the support of her students, the community and her faith, she is able to be encouraged.

“It’s not been easy coming back to work after Kolson passed away, and so, just the hugs from our students and from our staff has just been really encouraging,” said Elliott.

Kolson would have graduated this year. His mother said this annual Fun Run is a way to honor her son.

“It is an event to raise money for two scholarships here at Boiling Springs High School to a male athlete and a female athlete,” she said.

Around 30 students, with their student council, are lending a helping hand.

“It’s been a joy to know that this is going to a good cause. We’re super excited to see the community come out this Saturday. We’re super excited that we’re going to be running it,” said sophomore, Caroline Bishop.

The students have been selling t-shirts all week and are helping pack all the colors for the Fun Run. Through community sponsors, donations and the t-shirt sales, the scholarships were formed.

“We want to honor our classmate, and he wasn’t just a classmate to all of us here, but he was also a friend. Just living on the legacy that he brought here,” said senior, Kaiden Price.

Elliott said this is her family’s way of making something beautiful out of something tragic.

“We loved him, and we still love him, and it just warms our heart to see other kids excited to do something in his name and in his honor,” she said.

She said she chooses to share her story with her students, so those going through tragedies can relate.

“Gives me a good opportunity to maybe encourage others that have gone through something similar that they’ll be okay,” said Elliott.

Her students have been by her side and have taken away lessons from her, like how to see the good in hard times.

“I know what she went through and the things she had to do for it and so, it shows me what I can do to have an impact on my community,” said Bishop.

You can run or walk the 5K course. The t-shirts will be available for sale at the event at $15. All the proceeds go directly to the scholarships.

The event will be Saturday, March 25, at 10 a.m. The gates will open at 8 a.m. Those attending are asked to enter through the back gate off McMillian Drive at the high school.

Elliott said they raised $13,000 last year and this year’s goal is $10,000.

Organizers ask you to register before Saturday. For how to sign-up, click here.