Running with Heart, but without Sneakers

My Students: Save our SOLES! My kids do not have the means to safely support the feet that are racing them to their dreams. Help my kids keep dedicating themselves to something positive af...

My Project: A pair of true running sneakers will level the playing field. It will provide support, less weight, and more opportunities for my kids to exercise, run, and dream. Students wh... more»

My Students: Save our SOLES! My kids do not have the means to safely support the feet that are racing them to their dreams. Help my kids keep dedicating themselves to something positive after school. This is about giving kids access to the same paths to college and beyond.

My kids are strong and powerful and through a commitment to running, they are learning about how to use those powers for good. They are learning about goal setting and perseverance. They are learning how a dedication to something positive can lead down a path to college and beyond. Although many of my kids have been able to commit to a Cross Country team, a Track Club, and after school running opportunities, most are unable to get real running sneakers to support their feet and their goals. We are a small public high school in an area with the highest rates of childhood obesity, Type II Diabetes, HIV and AIDS, and asthma in the country. Our school is linked to Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound and we have a health and fitness mission along with a goal that each and every one of our students gains acceptance to a college of his or her choice. Running is an opportunity for our kids to stay active, healthy, positive, and determined to push for more instead of settle for less.

My Project: A pair of true running sneakers will level the playing field. It will provide support, less weight, and more opportunities for my kids to exercise, run, and dream. Students who have shown great commitment will have the opportunity to earn a pair of real running sneakers. The training, perseverance, and fun provide my kids with an opportunity to learn how hard work can reap amazing benefits. How believing in yourself is not only important, but essential when you are the first person in your family to run a race or go to college. Although a running sneaker may not seem like a technical necessity, I have seen my students try to tough it out in converse, old basketball sneakers, boots, and ballet flats. Without parks for training or streets free of violence to run, unsafe and incorrect footwear makes the journey even harder. If you love to run, you know the power of discovering that love and the lessons you can learn from it.

This is about equal access to a passion that has the potential to unlock doors. The kids do not just run, they set personal goals and work to be better. The students do not just train to race, they exercise to be healthier and happier. This is about a positive alternative to how some kids are "running the streets" in the school's neighborhood. This is about providing a solid foundation for my kids to run themselves into self-worth, determination, and college. hide»