The numbers are in from the 2012 Great Race of Middletown, and as usual, everybody won. 

Last fall 4,022 school children took part in the event October 20 athletic event at Middletown High School North. They raised a total of $44,242 for school parent organizations. That's up $8,982 from the year before. 

"It's incredible how much the enrollment has grown in the past few years," said Great Race Chairwoman Joan Minnues. Participation in the 8 to 10 year-olds' race, for example, jumped from 200 to 800 kids, she said, and the Race Committee has decided that next year there will a three dedicated races just for those zippy 8 year-olds, 9 year-olds and 10 year-olds. 

At the Board of Education meeting Wednesday night, Minnues thanked the army of Great Race generous sponsors and army of volunteers, and announced the amounts earned by each school. Here is the list of checks distributed by the The Great Race Committee of the Middletown Township Education Foundation: 

The winner for "Most Participation" was Middletown Village School. The school with the highest percentage of enrollment in the The Great Race as Nut Swamp. Port Monmouth won for most improved enrollment from last year's race and Thompson Middle School won for the "Most Participation." The schools each got a banner to hang in their gyms.

The 2013 Great Race will be Oct. 19 at Middletown High School South. The committee will be looking for student artwork for the t-shirt design.