The Affton 5 Run: Middle Schoolers Organize Charity Race

Rogers Middle School seventh-grader Mitchell Herndon was a healthy, typical 12-year-old boy until last year, when his health began to fail, leaving him unable to run, walk or even get up on his own.

Today, Mitchell is improving so much with the help of St. Louis Children's Hospital - Neurorehabilitation Department that he even walked into school on his own at the start of this semester.

Mitchell's classmates, teachers and community members are organizing a race called The Affton 5 to benefit his family and the hospital that helped him heal.

Thirty middle school students and their four teacher sponsors at Rogers Middle School organized The Affton 5, a five-mile charity race here in Affton.

The course will pass by each building in the Affton School District. Here's a map.

To sign up for the race, check out The Affton 5 website and The Affton 5 Facebook group.

The Affton 5 starts at 8 a.m. April 28. Registration is $20 and ends this Sunday.