Lizbeth Tello

2nd Grade Teacher, Marathon Kids

Los Angeles, CA, USA



Most of the children at Lizbeth Tello’s elementary school live at or below the poverty line. When the nearby parks in her school’s community were overtaken by gang activity and children had nowhere to play, she took action. An avid runner, Lizbeth applied for a Marathon Kids grant. She wanted to create a safe haven on her school’s playground for her students to run and move.



Today, more than 300 kids take part in the school’s run club. Each week, Lizbeth measures the distance on the playground – five laps equals one mile – and encourages her runners to reach their goals. The impact on her students is clear: they absolutely love running, proudly wearing their Marathon Kids t-shirts through the halls of the school. Her favorite part? Says Lizbeth: “I like the looks on their faces when they cross the finish line. Tired, but with smiles.”