Big River Crossing
Half Marathon + 5K

On November 21, 2020, Big River Crossing Half Marathon + 5K benefiting Peer Power will present its fourth annual race making the interstate trek across the Mississippi River’s longest public pedestrian bridge. Starting at the foot of Beale Street on Riverside Drive, the half-marathon course takes runners over Big River Crossing, through the recently fully paved Big River Trail on the Arkansas flood plain with covered swales, and along Dacus Lake. The event also includes a 5K through Downtown and Tom Lee Park with inspiring views of Big River Crossing and the Mississippi River.

All the Benefits

Your entry fee is more than a fee — it is a contribution to the Peer Power Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year. The Peer Power Foundation is a first-of-its-kind partnership with the University of Memphis and Shelby County Schools to recruit, train, and employ high-performing college scholars to coach and mentor public high school students within the classroom. And it works well. In addition, you gain these great benefits:

• Medals for half-marathon participants
• Incredible views of downtown Memphis and the Arkansas flood plains
• Dry tech, long sleeve race shirt for half marathon runners
• Short sleeve cotton t-shirt for 5K runners
• A newly, fully paved half marathon course on the Arkansas side of the race
• Performances by Whitehaven High School's marching band and dance team
• Post race party including food, beer and entertainment

None of the Risk

If, due to COVID-19, we are unable to proceed with the race, or if you feel uncomfortable participating at the time of the race, you may:

• Donate your entry fee to the Peer Power Foundation
  
• Roll your entry fee into next year’s Big River Crossing Half Marathon + 5K
• Receive a full refund

These races fund Peer Power’s mission to empower and inspire scholars through their innovative student-to-student tutoring program.

Peer Power's transformative work provides tutoring and mentoring assistance directly in the classroom that improves high school attendance and graduation rates, setting the stage for success and providing opportunities to excel. Additionally Peer Power’s ACT Prep University improves ACT scores by an average of 3.2 points, which then elevates college scholarship opportunities for local Shelby County Schools students. Each year, this improvement helps students collectively earn close to $1,000,000 in Tennessee HOPE scholarships.

Peer Power hires Success Coaches – or high performing University of Memphis students – as tutors and mentors, who receive college credit, gain real world experience and are paid for their work. Our Success Coaches have an 84% college graduation rate and 1 in 7 go on to become educators after they graduate. So while Peer Power is positively impacting the lives of high school students in five Shelby County Schools so far, we’re also building the pool of future educators for Memphis.

PEER POWER FAST FACTS:

• Surpassed 1,200,000 hours of tutoring and mentoring since founding
• Serves over 5,140 students at five high schools
• Expanding by two high schools each year
• 84% of Success Coaches completed graduation requirements at the University of Memphis, a higher rate than the U of M honors college
• 64 Success Coaches have begun careers in education as teachers, guidance counselors, or administrators
• Second-largest employer of University of Memphis students, only behind the University itself
• ACT Prep University students see an average increase of 3.2 points on the ACT
• ACT Prep University students qualified for more than $1 million in TN Hope scholarships each year