Education

Teacher Runs 50 Miles for Supplies

By Liana Loewus — October 22, 2010 1 min read
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A special education teacher is running 50 miles across the state of Florida today to raise money for basic school supplies.

Under budget cuts at their low-income school, Rafael Martin and his colleagues were having trouble getting basic classroom materials, such as pencils, binders, and calculators. So Martin rounded up pledges from local businesses and the community and planned a 50-mile run from Tenoroc High School in Lakeland to Orlando.

Ultramarathoner Zach Gingerich is accompanying Martin on the journey.

As of 4 p.m. EST, Martin’s spokesperson said he had made it past the 40-mile mark in Kissimmee. He’s on track to finish around around 8 p.m., after 15 hours on foot. There will be a surprise $10,000 in school supplies from OfficeMax waiting for him at the finish line.

Martin (right), who teaches math and history to students with disabilities at a Title 1 school, makes his way along the 50-mile route to Orlando.
—Photo by Gerardo Mora

UPDATE, Oct. 25: Martin completed his run at 9:30 p.m. He was greeted by fellow teachers, his three children, and community members at the finish line. According to his spokesperson, “After regaining his breath, Mr. Martin said to the crowd, ‘Aside from my children being born, this is the happiest day of my life.’”

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Teaching Now blog.