The senior class at New Franklin High School received a check in the amount of $3,743.50 on Wednesday from the Santa Fe Trail Days Betterment Committee. 

The money was raised by members of the senior class during this year’s Santa Fe Trail Days held in downtown New Franklin on September 17-18. Food was donated and sold by the student volunteers at a concession stand at the event. They also managed bounce houses and a dunk tank. All profits from those endeavors went to the senior class.

“This is a little less than previous years due to less volunteering, but we are hopeful that in future years we will be able to encourage these young community members to get out, volunteer, learn life lessons, and earn money for all of those activities that seniors enjoy doing in their last year of high school,” said Amanda Gunn, secretary and treasurer of the committee.

The Santa Fe Trail Days held possibly its largest-ever event in 2021. It was the 46th year of the celebration which coincided with the bicentennial of Missouri as well as the Santa Fe Trail, which began in Franklin in 1821.