Mesa Teacher inspiring students through Running

My name is Jena Heise, and I am a kindergarten teacher at Guerrero Elementary in West Mesa, AZ. This year I am running the Mesa Half-Marathon with my friend Ms. Murray and her 6th graders. Below is a message from my friend and her class.

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Shana Murray, and I am a 6th-grade teacher at Guerrero Elementary in West Mesa. Two years ago, I ran the Mesa Marathon with my 6th-grade class to teach them about motivation, determination, resiliency, and to experience a high level of success in a relatively short amount of time. The students I work with often come to me with a minimal desire to succeed. They have not had the opportunity to see what they are capable of and often don’t believe in themselves. This experience gave them that opportunity, and many of my students have used that success in their schooling. Last year, we did it again after I saw the same issues with my new group. Both experiences were made possible by some generous supporters who provided funds to get some kids who did not have shoes/running sneakers and allowed me to buy them medals and breakfast after we ran. Unfortunately, those funds ran out last year and I am looking for community support so my students this year can have this experience. I am asking if you would be willing to help in any way you can. Thank you for your time and support.