The Fifth Annual Northern Essex Community College Campus Classic 5K and Fun Run will take place on Saturday, May 6.

The USATF certified 5K race will begin at 10 a.m. on the college’s Haverhill Campus, 100 Elliott Street, and wind through the beautiful rural campus and surrounding residential neighborhood. Competitive runners—as well as novices and walkers—are invited to participate. Online registration will remain open until April 30.

The race entry fee is $25 through April 30; $30 May 1 through the day of the race.  $10 for NECC students with ID.

Children ages 12 and under are invited to participate in the Fun Run, which is organized by age group, at 9 a.m. Registration for this event is $10 before April 30; $15 for those registering onsite race day.  There will be fun activities for children including face painting, coloring, and hands-on opportunities to explore, climb on and touch emergency response vehicles, heavy machinery and other equipment.

The first 250 5K registrants and the first 50 Fun Run registrants will receive free t-shirts. Award categories include top three male and female overall plus top three in age divisions: under 15, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.  All Fun Run participants will receive an award.

New this year, runners and their guests are invited to attend an after race party, beginning at 11:30 am at the Barking Dog Ale House, 77 Washington St, Haverhill.

Because this is a campus event, participants are encouraged to wear apparel from their college as they run or walk. Proceeds from the race will benefit the NECC Annual Fund, which provides support for student scholarships and academic programs.

Covanta, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of infrastructure for the conversion of waste to energy as well as other waste disposal and renewable energy production businesses, is the Gold Sponsor for this event.

For more information visit campusclassic5k.com or contact Lindsay Graham, NECC director of alumni and community relations, at lgraham@necc.mass.edu or 978 556-3629.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence, Northern Essex Community College offers over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth.  Close to 6000 students are enrolled in credit associate degree and certificate programs on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses; and another 6,700 take noncredit workforce development and community education classes on campus, and at businesses and community sites across the Merrimack Valley.  Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the website at www.necc.mass.edu.