Students at St. John Neumann Regional School are urged to break out their walking shoes.

They'll certainly need them for the school's 11th annual Walkathon, which will be held this Friday in Palmerton.At that time, pupils in grades K-3 from the school's Slatington campus, as well as students in grades 4-8 from its Palmerton campus, will once again participate in the event.As part of their walk, pupils from the Slatington campus will take a path around the borough park, as students from Palmerton will walk through and around the town.Chuck Cornmesser, committee chair, said the theme of this year's Walkathon is "Into the Wild."Cornmesser said the all-day event will began with a mass, followed by a kickoff prayer. After an introduction, the students will take part in a calisthenics workout courtesy of Kerri Jahelka, owner of Dedicated Fitness in Palmerton.From there, they will begin the walk. Afterward, the students will be treated to a pizza lunch, courtesy of Mama's Pizza in Slatington. There will also be a presentation on conservation from the Lehigh Valley Zoo, which will bring five animals with, he said."We're really looking to increase awareness of the school," he said. "Obviously, we want to raise funds for the school."Any funds that are raised will be used to purchase textbooks, audio visual equipment and various other educational items, Cornmesser said.The event is the Homeschool Association's top fundraiser of the year.