HOUSTON -- An American hero will be honored Thursday at a Galveston County school with a fun run that will not cause anyone participating to break a sweat, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Staff members of the Clear Creek High School Hi-Life Newspaper are remembering Pfc. Ray Joseph Hutchinson on his birthday with a No-Run Fun Run.

T-shirts are being sold for $20 to raise money for The Ray Joseph Hutchinson Scholarship fund. Anyone who has purchased the shirt has been encouraged to take part in the No-Run Fun Run being held at the school and throughout League City on Thursday.

Hutchinson, a member of the 101st Airborne Division, was killed while fighting in Iraq on Dec. 7, 2003. The 2001 graduate of the school and former photographer for the school's paper joined the Army to make a difference.

"He said, 'Mrs. J, after Sept. 11, it is just something I have to do.' He said, 'I've found my place,'" journalism teacher Wynette Jameson told KPRC Local 2.

Jameson proudly displays one of his uniforms and numerous pictures of him in her classroom. She said the mementos are reminders of how someone so young gave his all.

The 20-year-old soldier is the inspiration driving the journalism students to make a difference in their own way.

"I feel so honored to be a part of this because he truly was a hero. He gave his life for our country," student Dixie Hairston told KPRC Local 2.

The scholarship came together shortly after Hutchinson was killed. Almost $20,000 has been raised since it was established.

Three students have received awards from the scholarship and the fundraising effort has spread throughout the community. Students who are not in the top 10 percent of their class and who have overcome some sort of hardship are eligible to receive the scholarship.

At the end of the run, a finish line celebration sponsored by the South Shore Harbor Resort will be held at the Harbour Club at 5 p.m. Anyone wearing the T-shirt will get in for free. Others who want to attend but didn't purchase a shirt will be required to make a $20 donation at the door.

Anyone who wants to help honor Hutchinson's life by helping others can buy one of the No Run Fun Run T-shirts for $20 at the Clear Creek Education Support Center on East Main Street in League City.

For more information on the scholarship, e-mail the Hi-Life newspaper staff at hutchfund@yahoo.com or call (281) 284-0020.