STRIDES

STRIDES students at United Way's HomeWalk 5k

2011-11-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

From community outreach coordinator, Liz Ruppel:

The 10-week fall season of STRIDES is nearing a conclusion, and we’re gearing up for the final, culminating 5k race. The students will be traveling to Exposition Park on November 19 to participate in the United Way’s “HomeWalk” 5k. At the race, they’ll have the opportunity to work on meeting the goals they set at the beginning of the season. Importantly, they’ll also get the chance to celebrate their achievements – both as they’re introduced and recognized during the pre-race program and while they cross the finish line.

The United Way of Greater Los Angeles works to end homelessness in L.A. Over the past four years, over 18,000 people have participated in its HomeWalk 5k, and the United Way has raised $1.7 million. The race has had quite an effect; the United Way has used the funds to move 9,000 people into permanent housing.

We’re excited to be involved with this great event, and we're looking forward to Saturday's race!

If you're interested in coming out to support the STRIDES participants, visit the HomeWalk 2011 website for event details.

Co-Founders Present at American Public Health Association Conference

2011-10-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

STRIDES co-founders, Ashley Roberts and Anne Sutkowi, will be presenting at the annual conference of the American Public Health Association in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 2011. The conference theme is "Healthy Communities Promote Healthy Minds and Bodies," which is a perfect fit for the mission and goals of the STRIDES program.

The presentation, titled "STRIDES: Individual- and Community-level Suicide Prevention for At-Risk Youth," will inform conference attendees about the STRIDES program, lessons that were learned during the first year of the program, and recommendations Ashley and Anne have for people who want to start the program in their communities.

We are excited for the opportunity to continue spreading the word about our program and the need for programs like these in alternative schools across the country!

STRIDES Fall 2011 Kickoff

2011-10-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

Strides coaches, Rose Hennessy and Ashley Arax, are happy to announce that the fall 2011 season is off to a great start at Olympic High School! We welcomed old and new faces to the program as the first lessons on nutrition, exercise, and goal setting were presented. Students were excited to learn how to measure their heart rates, and to see just how much the rates went up as they increased their efforts from walking to jogging to running.

This week the training continues as we tackle routes over a mile. Look for us on the streets of Santa Monica as we gear up for the 5K, making strides toward our goals!

Click to help STRIDES secure $2,500!

2011-09-02T22:21:00.000-07:00

STRIDES runs on a shoestring budget with help from people like you. But in order to stay at Olympic High School and expand to additional continuation high schools, we're doing our best to diversify our funding. We've found an exciting new way for you to support the continued implementation STRIDES, and it just takes one click!

GOOD and EPIP L.A. want to celebrate the awesome efforts that are moving Los Angeles forward with a $2,500 grant. STRIDES is in the running for this funding, but securing the money requires your support by voting for our idea! Only one idea will win, so please click through here to vote for us*. You can also help by posting the link (http://goodla.maker.good.is/projects/strides) in your Facebook profile, tweeting about it (our handle is @STRIDES_LA), or shooting an email off to your friends and family encouraging them to support our program. Every vote counts!

Thank you so much for all of your support and cross your fingers for us!

*Note: GOOD's system seems to work best on Firefox. They've also been having some issues with error messages. If you sign up before submitting your vote (this takes less than one minute), things go more smoothly.

Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual STRIDES 5k Run/Walk!

2011-09-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that our 2nd Annual STRIDES 5k Run/Walk will take place on Sunday, November 20 at Dockweiler State Beach! Our community outreach volunteers have been hard at work this summer securing an event permit for the site, the equipment we need to make the big day happen, and the Adidas dry fit t-shirts you'll get if you register.

This day will again serve as the culminating event for STRIDES students at Olympic Continuation High School, who will be training with our coaches during the 10 weeks leading up to the 5k. By participating in the event, you can not only show your support for our students' accomplishment but also increase awareness about suicide prevention in your community.

We will update you when the event registration page opens (coming soon!). Can't wait to see you out there - with your friends and family, of course - again this year!

Fall Season 2011 Starting Soon!

2011-08-08T16:23:00.001-07:00

Our wonderful STRIDES coaches - Ashley Arax and Rose Hennesey - are getting prepared for another great season at Olympic High School. STRIDES sessions will begin on September 12 and last for 10 weeks in preparation for the 2nd Annual STRIDES 5k Run/Walk on Sunday, November 20. We are expecting at least a couple veteran STRIDES participants. Several students from the spring season have expressed interest in participating again in the fall. We are so excited that Olympic High School wants to continue the program, and even more excited that students want to participate again! A couple of students have already let us know that they have a new goal for this next season. We cannot wait to see what they are capable of and look forward to seeing what new students will bring to group!

We may need help with running shoes and sports bras again. Please hang on to any slightly used gear you have, and we will ask our supporters for help when we have an idea of what we need. Thanks again for everyone's support last year and we hope you can continue to support the program by spreading the word and coming out to the 5k in November!

STRIDES Spring Season Wrap Up

2011-06-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

What a season! Spring season was a little easier on us because we weren't planning the STRIDES 5k in addition to coaching. This allowed us to enjoy running in a community 5k along with the students! We were joined by eight STRIDES participants for the Every Child Matters 5k Run/Walk at Loyola Marymount University. We are so proud of the efforts made by all of the students to be there and give it their best!

We were joined by several Olympic High School staff, including Marcia Gecht (the health teacher who joins us on all our training run/walks and welcomes us each Monday and Wednesday in her classroom), Janie Gates (the principal), Mark Harris (the school's guitar teacher) and Diane Palkovic (an instructional assistant). We were also joined by the 2011-2012 Community Outreach Coordinator for STRIDES - Liz Ruppel - who was a huge support for the students. Even one of the participants' parents came out to support the group!

We would also like to extend a huge congratulations out to three of our STRIDES participants who graduated high school on June 20. Ashley and I attended the ceremony and were so proud of Joana, Joe, and AJ! We wish them good luck and know they will go on to do amazing things.

Highlights from STRIDES Sessions

2011-05-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

We know it's hard to believe, but the second season of STRIDES is half way done! We are having such a terrific time with the students this season. The group is a bit bigger and the attitudes are so positive! We're going to share a couple of our favorite moments from the past couple weeks.

Anne: I think my favorite moment was last week when we had all of the students check in about the goals they had set a few weeks earlier for the 5k Run/Walk. At the beginning of the season, we had each student write down his/her goal for the 5k, steps to achieve the goal, barriers that might come up, and ways to overcome the barriers. Yesterday was our day to check in and see if they are doing what they need to do in order to achieve their goals, or if they need to re-assess the goal or change their efforts.

One student had never run before and set a goal to walk the 5k. He didn't want to run. However - with some encouragement - he has become quite the runner. He says before STRIDES he never got any exercise and that this is really good for him. On top of that, yesterday he announced to the group that he is changing his goal - he is going to try to jog the whole 5k! This group continues to impress me with their positive attitudes and their willingness to put an effort into the program. This story is an example of just what STRIDES is about - running can build confidence in teens and a group like STRIDES can offer support for teens to set their standards a little higher and work towards something they didn't think they were capable of. I can't wait to see his face on 5k day!

Ashley: My favorite moment of the season so far comes from the same session. During the physical activity component of most STRIDES sessions, we do run/walk activities that focus at the individual level. Participants decide what they want to accomplish each session to try to reach their ultimate 5k goal. Each season, though, we try to throw in team-building activities to help build our participants' social support.

After doing the goals check in, we decided to divide our participants into two groups for a relay race and upped the ante a bit by telling them we'd provide a special incentive to the winning team. One of our consistent walkers told me that she'd be running that day because she didn't want to let her teammates down. In fact, this was the first day that every single one of our participants ran the whole workout. The social support I gained during my years running competitive cross-country is, by far, the best thing the sport has given me, so I was especially proud to see eight smiling participants jumping up and down and cheering with wild abandon as each of their teammates completed their leg of the relay.

Social Environment and Suicide Prevention in LGBT Youth

2011-04-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

On Monday, the Los Angeles Times covered a recent study in the journal Pediatrics that found that LGBT youth are at much higher risk for attempting suicide than their heterosexual peers (22% vs 5%). We have known this for a long time. However, this study offers new information about how the social environment contributes to this risk. A supportive, positive environment (such as schools with anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies and gay/straight alliances) was significantly associated with fewer suicide attempts among LGBT youth. In fact, these supportive environments were also associated with fewer suicide attempts among heterosexual youth.

Supportive environments in schools may reflect the broader supportive environments of the communities in which these youth live. As part of a broad, multi-level approach to suicide prevention, it is important to consider community - and school-level policies and programming - that will lend to a more supportive enviroment for LGBT youth.

For more information on suicide prevention for LGBT youth, visit: http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

New guidelines released today for reporting on suicide

2011-04-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

New guidelines for journalists reporting on suicide were released today as a combined effort of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE). This report and other information is available at http://reportingonsuicide.org/.

According to SAVE executive director Dan Reidenberg, "Research shows that one of the best ways to prevent suicide is through safe media reporting. So in developing these recommendations, it was vital to work not only with suicide prevention experts, but also journalists to create a useful, straightforward tool that reporters and news media organizations can turn to when reporting on suicide."

A primary recommendation of this report is to include suicide warning signs and what to do if you know someone exhibiting any warning sign in these stories. Since the outset of STRIDES, one of our goals has been to increase awareness about suicide prevention. We hope that by reducing the stigma of talking about suicide prevention through media and community-level outreach, individuals who are in need of help will feel more comfortable and supported in doing so.

To see a list of suicide warning signs and suggestions for how you can help, visit their website here: http://reportingonsuicide.org/warning-signs-of-suicide/.

Recap on West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference

2011-04-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ashley and I had such a wonderful time at the West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference. Hundreds of women with unique experiences and backgrounds came to the conference at Plummer Park in West Hollywood to talk about making change and being empowered leaders in our communities.

We sat on a panel titled, "Get Your Passion Off the Ground: Creating Your Own Community Event, Project, or Campaign, " and were joined by a diverse group of women taking leadership within their communities. Other panelists included: Tatum de Roeck (Founder, Hiking Hunnies), Donna Feinstein (Founder, West Hollywood Saturdays in the Park) and Megan Hobza (Founder, Whittier Time Bank). Chenese Lewis was moderator for the panel, and is herself a leader in the community as President of the Hollywood Chapter of the National Organization for Women.

It was such a pleasure meeting everyone on the panel, and exciting to talk about STRIDES with a group of motivated and empowered women! Ashley and I were both inspired by the women on the panel, as well as conference attendees we met before and after the panel. We can't wait to get out there and expand the STRIDES program and share the STRIDES message that suicide is preventable!

West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference

2011-04-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

Not long after the fall season of STRIDES, Anne and I got an invitation to be panelists at the West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference, which is being held this weekend - April 9-10. We feel honored to be a part of this exciting event and will be presenting on a panel titled "Get your passion off the ground: Creating your own community event, project, or campaign." Other panels include learning to be an effective advocate, PR and marketing strategies, and changing careers, among others.

We're not only eager to share lessons learned throughout the development and implementation of STRIDES with dynamic women in our community, but also to learn from others with established programs as we move STRIDES forward next year.

You can register for or learn more about the conference here: West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference. We'll have updates on what we learned and what we shared with other participants next week.

Spring Season Is Underway!

2011-03-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

I stopped by Olympic Continuation High School (OHS) today and received some wonderful feedback about the STRIDES program from Marcia Gecht, the amazing health teacher who has opened up her classroom to STRIDES. She shared that one of our fall 2010 participants was like a "new student" after participating in the STRIDES program. Ms. Gecht explained that the student is more confident and attends classes nearly every day now.

Her feedback means a lot to us. I was at the school collecting questionnaire data so we can track the effectiveness of our program. However, these questionnaires don't always tell us much of a story. What really matters is the stories like the one shared by Ms. Gecht, that demonstrate the need for a program like STRIDES and the impact a program like this one can have on students.

Fall 2010 participants have been invited to participate in the spring season, and several are excited to join us. We are hoping they will take on a leadership role and lead stretching and running activities while motivating other STRIDES participants to reach their goals.

STRIDES Spring Season officially begins on Monday, March 28! We are so excited to help OHS students train for a 5k while sharing and practicing strategies for building self-esteem and setting and achieving goals. We could still use your help. If you or anyone you know has women's size 6 running shoes, we actually need a couple pairs! We will know soon what other sizes we'll need. Email us at STRIDESLA@gmail.com for an address to send shoes. Thank you for your continued support!

Gearing up for spring semester!

2011-01-31T15:41:00.001-08:00

We're excited to announce that we're gearing up to implement STRIDES again at Olympic High School during spring semester! Additionally, we're currently looking for UCLA graduate students to continue this program next year. We'll be holding an info session about the application process for these positions on Wednesday, February 9 at 5pm in the Center for Health Sciences at UCLA (exact location TBD).

Although it's likely that both of us will be leaving Los Angeles this summer, we want to be sure that STRIDES can be sustained by other UCLA students when we're gone. Once we've established the process of training STRIDES coaches, our goal is to bring this positive youth development program to other U.S. cities. Using the knowledge and passion of public health students, we can foster a movement that strives to increase community awareness that suicide is preventable.

All photos from the fall 2010 STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk.

STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk Results

2010-12-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

Finisher Number	Time	First Name	Last Name
1	18:24	David	Louvet
2	18:25	Travis	Meyers
3	18:43	Robert	Ota
4	20:47	Robert	Levin
5	21:04	Chris	Opfell
6	22:24	Brian	DeLowe
7	22:33	Diana	Hossfeld
8	22:35	Stephen	Hagerman
9	22:42	Matthew	Beymer
10	22:52	Ali	Arastu
11	22:55	Luis	Flores
12	23:39	James	Lee
13	23:40	Charles	Clarke
14	23:48	Michelle	Pham
15	23:54	Amanda	Riddle
16	24:21	Julia	Pratt
17	24:30	Joseph	Carpenter
18	24:59
19	25:19	Joe	Ledford
20	25:19	Mark	Harris
21	25:32	Scot	Forbes
22	25:48	Oscar	Perez
23	25:48	Abbie	Haigh
24	25:50	Henry	Ota
25	25:57	Christopher	Mason
26	26:00	Eva	Horn
27	26:12
28	26:25	Shai	Feldman
29	26:26	Micah	Effron
30	26:27	Nicole	Vayssier
31	26:28	Heather	Stephens
32	26:28	Jillianne	Whitfield
33	26:38	Roland	Palvolgyi
34	26:50	Katrina	Stearns
35	26:50	Jessica	Howard-Anderson
36	27:07	Katia	Vaisberg
37	27:10	Samantha	Wong
38	27:13	Nicole	VanGroningen
39	27:18	Frank	Aliganga
40	27:19	Morgan	Rich
41	27:19	Tarah	Griep
42	27:30	Karen	Strach
43	27:36	Sybil	Zachariah
44	27:56	Teresa	Curtis
45	27:56	Andrew	Curtis
46	28:06	Julia	Lippe-Klein
47	28:06	Lauren	Zatorski
48	28:09	Zachary	Koenig
49	28:10	Brenda	Brown
50	28:19	Kevin	Pierce
51	28:24	Maria	Koenig
52	28:47	Catherine	Forbes
53	29:52
54	30:32
55	30:27	Mariel	Witmond
56	30:27	Jonathan	Witmond
57	30:31	Marycarmen	Guzman
58	30:50	Amber	Tucker
59	30:51	David	Cawa
60	31:07	Vanessa	Villalpando
61	31:17	Jeff	Annon
62	31:25	Amanda	Baudo
63	31:40	Belle	Gerard
64	31:40	Jamie	Peisel
65	33:53	Elyse	Homel
66	33:53	Vincent	Vitale
67	33:55	Andrea	Lu
68	34:46	Juan Pablo	Carbonell
69	35:21	Joanna	Guzman
70	36:01	Kristin	Cribbs
71	36:26	Patty	Acuna
72	37:08	Lola	Alomo
73	37:12	Grace	Lee
74	37:53	Al	Hasson
75	37:54	Stephanie	Chen
76	38:06	Elizabeth	Nelson
77	38:07	Cassarah	Chu
78	38:08	Victoria	Cho
79	38:47	Kristal	Lemus
80	38:47	Lesley	Lemus
81	39:00	Heather	Achtziger
82	39:04
83	39:49
84	40:24	Joana	Gutierrez
85	40:24	Kia	Walker
86	40:25
87	40:26
88	40:46	Sean	Prendergast
89	41:55	Shannon	Snook
90	42:00
91	42:06
92	43:21	Kevin	Hoiseth
93	43:21	Courtnee	Draper
94	44:08	Alexander	Koenig
95	45:52	Carla	Cruz
96	45:53	Jessica	Davidman
97	46:47	Jennifer	Lamanski
98	46:47	Kimberly	Komatsubara
99	46:57	Julia	Caldwell
100	46:57	Jessica	Lowe
101	47:01	Patience	Afulani
102	47:01	Whitney	Welshimer
103	47:47	Erica	Lowe
104	47:47	Hailey	Winetrobe
105	47:48	Jacqueline	Fahey
106	47:51	Xochitl	Cordova
107	48:03	Arkeli	Johnson
108	48:03	Marcia	Gecht
109	49:22	Sue	Lavaccare
110	49:30	Deborah	Glik
111	49:30	Michael	Prelip
112	49:30	Susan	Lesser

Important info for the STRIDES 5k this Sunday.

2010-11-17T16:59:00.001-08:00

The STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk is this Sunday, November 21 at 8am. If you're already registered - THANK YOU! If not, consider signing up here.

Here is all of the important information you'll need to know for race day:

Directions to Dockweiler & Parking Information

Directions to Dockweiler Beach

Dockweiler Beach is located at the intersection of Imperial Highway and Vista del Mar in Playa del Rey. You can access $1 parking by entering the beach at this intersection. Please tell the parking attendant that you are there for the 5k. After paying, head north on the Dockweiler service road and park in the first or second parking lot you come to. Lot 2 is located just over a quarter mile south of the start line at lot 3. You can also park near the start line in lot 3. However, PLEASE NOTE that individuals who would like to park in lot 3 must arrive before 7:30am and will not be allowed to leave until 9:30am, or after the last participant crosses the finish line. This rule will be strictly enforced and is designed to protect the safety of all of our participants.

Check-In

Check-in will open at 7am in lot 3 near the race start line. All participants must check in before 7:45am in order to participate. The race will begin promptly at 8am rain or shine.

Free STRIDES T-Shirt

If you were one of the first 110 registrants, you will receive your free STRIDES race day t-shirt when you check in at the race. Sizes have been accommodated on a first come first served basis.

Registration is only available online and will close at 6pm on Saturday evening. If you know others who may be interested in participating, we would appreciate it if you could pass along the race information: http://www.active.com/5k-race/playa-del-rey-ca/strides-community-5k-runwalk-2010.

We can't wait to see you on Sunday!

Thank you for your support!

2010-11-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

We are approaching this next week with mixed feelings. On one hand, we are super excited to see everyone at the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk! On the other hand, our sessions twice a week with students at Olympic High School will be coming to an end this week. Mostly, we are so proud of how far the students have come during our 10-week program and are looking forward to sharing their accomplishments with everyone on Sunday, November 21.

We could not have done this without you! We reached our donations goal and are very close to reaching our goal for 5k registrations. Thank you so much to everyone that donated. Please keep checking our blog in the next few days, because we will be posting pictures of the students who benefited from your support. If you live in LA, whether you are registered to participate or not, please come out to Dockweiler Beach on November 21 to support the STRIDES program and the students!

The take home message.

2010-11-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

I came across a column several years ago by Dave Eggers - founder of 826 Valencia - about our education system. One section in particular stuck out to me:

It's like a tic. Or a reflex. (Are tics and reflexes significantly different?) The point is, it's an automatic response, in virtually all humans, to think that things are getting worse. Medieval peasants lamented how good the Cro-Magnons had it; people in the Renaissance looked back on the Dark Ages with great fondness. This is a harmless enough reflex--lazy and uncritical, sure, but usually harmless enough.

But when it concerns how we see young people, and how we perceive the landscape of learning and literacy, this kind of doomsaying is a dangerous kind of intellectual sloth. When we assume, as most adults do, that kids are less literate, less interested in books, than ever before, it involves a willful kind of ignorance, and it imperils how we educate young people.

When we started this program, we got more than a few wide eyed looks anytime we mentioned that STRIDES would be using 5k training to reduce suicide risk factors among high school students. Running? Are you sure? We took these comments in stride - trying not to doubt the premise of our program before we even began.

To be sure, there have been grumbles and complaints along the way. It's too hot. I forgot my running shoes. But on the whole, most kids on most days like the running. They like how they feel at the end of a workout, they like beating that "2:30 feeling," they like the challenge.

The argument in Eggers' column applies to more than youth literacy efforts. We can go on believing that things will get worse, that kids are lazy, that they don't try. Or we can put some faith in kids - they deserve it - and try to make the 'it gets better' message real.

We are less than two weeks away from our culminating event - the STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk. Please consider supporting the students in our program by joining them on November 21 at Dockweiler.

STRIDES in the News

2010-10-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Check out the coverage of STRIDES in the Daily Bruin, the Santa Monica Daily Press, and the Santa Monica Mirror!

Daily Bruin: STRIDES program steps in to promote physical, mental and emotional health

Program founded by two graduate students promotes having positive self-image at a local high school

By: Shoshee Jau

Updated: 2:59 PM

Giant puddles covered the ground, but the 10 students pushed onward, their shoes squelching on the rain-soaked dirt track. By the end of the class, they had all run two miles.

“All of them were complaining; they didn’t want to get their feet wet, but they had all finished by the end, and they were smiling, so excited,” said Anne Sutkowi, co-founder of STRIDES, a health promotion and suicide prevention program created at UCLA. For her, seeing the students jogging after a rain shower was one of the most memorable moments of her time teaching at Olympic High School.

Two times a week, second-year public health graduate students Ashley Roberts and Sutkowi carpool to Olympic High in Santa Monica to teach a health class as part of the pilot program STRIDES, which they developed in a two-quarter program-planning class at UCLA last year.

Inspired by research done in the class, the project aims to promote physical, mental and emotional well-being through physical activity, stress relief, and development of a positive self-image. Because there is a link between suicide rates and emotional health, the ultimate goal of the project is to prevent suicide among the students, Roberts said.

“Many high school students know someone who has thought about suicide and even committed suicide,” she said. “After the tragic string of suicides recently, hopefully this program can help reduce their risk and help others dealing with suicidal thoughts and risk factors.”

While most students in their classes were not able to execute the final product of their course, Roberts and Sutkowi were able to put their plan into action after receiving support from the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, which aids leaders working to address the needs of underserved communities.

Most of the students at Olympic High School have faced great difficulties battling homelessness, divorce and deaths in the family at a young age, said Marcia Gecht, the students’ health teacher. Due to such hardships, education becomes a lesser priority.

“(Olympic High is) a continuation high school that channels success, so they can get real comfortable and create a good community,” Gecht said. “It’s a second chance for whatever reason they had not been successful at a traditional high school.”

During each class session, Roberts and Sutkowi lead students in stretches and jogs on campus, hoping that they will integrate running into their daily lives, Roberts said.

“One of the reasons we use running is because it’s inherently both an individual and team sport,” she said. “We encourage them to encourage one another, but it’s a solitary thing that they can do by themselves for stress relief.”

The 10-week project will culminate in the STRIDES 5K Run/Walk, an event at Dockweiler Beach, in which students will have the option of running alongside members of the local community.

“The most important thing for me is to feel that the kids have support in the community, who don’t think they are failures and encourage them to keep setting goals because they can achieve them,” Sutkowi said.

Olympic High School junior Kia Walker said the activities inspire her to set goals and change her lifestyle. Walker, who had never run or jogged prior to the health class, now aspires to finish the entire STRIDES 5K Run/Walk in November.

“I get to jog, and I get to be outside, and I feel pretty good after each jog,” Walker said. “I hope to be a little more healthier after this.”

Roberts said while she was originally intimidated by the students, her ability to eventually win their trust and appreciation allowed her to see the impact of persistence and optimism in their lives.

“These are tough kids to win their respect,” she said. “Having some who have gotten so far in such a short time is rewarding. We had a student come in the second week, who said, ‘This is the reason why I love coming to health class on Mondays and Fridays.’”

Sutkowi, too, said she looks forward to each session.

“This is what I want to do when I graduate, and it is a reminder for me every week why I go to classes at UCLA,” she said.

Photo credit: Shoshee Jau

Santa Monica Daily Press: Health class tackles teen suicide
by Nick Taborek

October 16, 2010

OLYMPIC HIGH — With teen suicide a growing concern across the country, students at Santa Monica’s Olympic High School are getting an added amount of attention, courtesy of a couple of UCLA graduate students with plans to make a difference in the mental health field.

After being awarded an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Ashley Roberts and Anne Sutkowi, both master’s degree students in UCLA’s Department of Community Health Sciences, co-founded a program for youths they call STRIDES.

Launched a month ago as a pilot program at Olympic High, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s continuation campus, the goal is to give kids at risk of falling into bad habits that can eventually lead to suicide new strategies for dealing with stress and depression.

The curriculum, which is taught twice weekly during students’ regular health class, has both a psychological and a physical component. Lessons focus on topics from goal setting and stress management to things like nutrition, anatomy and old fashioned physical fitness.

“We hope that this program will bridge that gap that seems to exist in most high school health classes that focus on physical health but don’t incorporate mental health as much,” Roberts said.

The co-founders’ ambition is to do their part to prevent suicide — the third-leading cause of death among teenagers — but they also hope the lessons they’re teaching will have a broader impact on promoting healthier lifestyles.

“The class is technically a suicide prevention program, but all of the issues we’re talking about are relevant in these kids’ lives,” Roberts said.

To Marcia Gecht, a teacher at Olympic for 35 years, welcoming STRIDES into her health class is an example of how curriculum flexibility at the continuation school benefits students.

“It’s always good to have additional programs that come to us without costing money,” she said.

While the subject matter may not seem earth shattering — and indeed, Gecht said she’s taught similar lessons to health students before — it can have a big impact.

One 17-year-old in the class, she said, had never gone on a jog until she was encouraged by Roberts and Sutkowi to participate in group runs.

The students, she said, have responded to their teachers’ enthusiasm.

“[The kids] actually look forward to it, because they’re making them rise to the occasion,” she said.

Another of STRIDES’ goals is to raise awareness among the broader public that teen suicide is preventable.

Toward that end, the course will culminate with a 5K run/walk event on Nov. 21 at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey that is open to the public. Organizers said 200 people are expected to participate.

For Roberts, who hopes to continue the program after the initial 10-week course at Olympic, there have already been personal growth benefits to the project as well.

Getting a skeptical group of high school students on your side, she’s learned, is a difficult undertaking.

“They don’t necessarily welcome you with open arms,” she said. “It’s been a challenge trying to break through and build that trust, but it’s really rewarding when they do come around.”

For more information about the STRIDES and the 5K event, go to www.strideslosangeles.blogspot.com.

nickt@smdp.com

Important Messages.

2010-10-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

In light of the recent youth suicides in the news, take a minute to check out two important videos. Dan Savage and Ellen DeGeneres stand up against the bullying of LGBT youth. Their messages? It gets better, and we must end intolerance.

STRIDES Week 2 Wrap-Up

2010-09-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

We've now completed week two of STRIDES and delivered four sessions to 10 students at Olympic High School. It's been great to begin deepening our relationships with the students and getting a feel for what engages them in the classroom and motivates them during our physical activity sessions.

This week's sessions presented us with similar challenges to those that we faced during week one. Two new students were added to the health class, so we spent a small amount of time explaining the program we developed for their class and taking questions. While this again affected the amount of time we had for physical activity, we tried to be mindful of time to ensure that students would have adequate time to complete the activities we planned for them.

We also learned to be flexible during the physical activity component, as new participants can change the dynamic of the group. It can be challenging trying to predict the energy level of individuals and how that will affect the group; however, we're hopeful that our lessons on goal setting will be instructive for us as well as for the students. This will give all participants the opportunity to think about their personal goals for STRIDES - as it relates to completing a 5k - and share these goals with the group. Anne and I will then be able to tailor certain activities to meet the group's needs, brainstorm stepping stones to reach the students' individual goals, and provide motivation throughout the program.

It goes without saying that the highlight of our week was when one of our students entered the classroom and greeted us with, "This is why I look forward to Mondays and Wednesdays!" (It should be noted, though, that the runner up highlight was when one student guessed that the distance we completed during a physical activity session was only a quarter of a mile when we had actually done a combination of running and walking for a mile and a half.)

We look forward to continuing to share our progress with you as we work toward the STRIDES Community 5k Run/Walk on November 21.

Reflections on the First Week of STRIDES

2010-09-19T09:18:00.001-07:00

STRIDES sessions started on September 13 at Olympic High School! We met with OHS students during their health class on Monday and Wednesday this week, and will continue meeting with the students on Mondays and Wednesdays until the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk on Sunday, November 21.

It felt so great to finally meet the students and start doing what we have been planning for so long! We had anticipated having to win the students over and really having to motivate them to participate in physical activity. However, our first day of STRIDES found us with a few students who were totally excited to get outside for some fresh air and physical activity. They could NOT get over the fancy water bottles from Title Nine that were donated for them! We went for a group walk and took the time to get to know each other and learn about their interests.

Our second STRIDES session presented us with two very real challenges. First, a lack of consistent attendance means that we had 4 new participants for Session 2 and only one participant from Session 1. We had to spend a good deal of time reviewing what STRIDES is about and the group rules. Thankfully, most of the lessons can be beneficial as individual sessions, without needing to be built upon another lesson. However, Ashley and I will need to be really strategic in keeping students up to date on what we have been learning while still having time to focus on the day's lesson.

Secondly, this session's students acted more as we had expected students to act about the program. It took them some time to warm up to the idea of running or walking during our sessions, but everyone gave it a shot and some who said they wouldn't run were actually running by the end! It was really important for Ashley and I to stay positive and encourage everyone to just try it out at whatever pace feels comfortable for them. This program is about setting a goal and achieving it with the help of your peers and the coaches, but the student is the person in charge of setting a comfortable goal....be it walk a 5k, run some of a 5k, or run the whole thing.

We were so impressed by the students we met this week. Even if they tested us out a bit a first, they all participated with very little resistance. They all have goals they want to achieve outside of STRIDES and varying interests and experiences that will make for great discussions during STRIDES sessions. We can't wait for next week!

STRIDES 5k Run/Walk

2010-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Join us at Dockweiler Beach on November 21 for our community 5k run/walk! Register here.

If you'd like to advertise for the race at your school, place of work, or another location, please email STRIDESLA@gmail.com for copies of the race flyer.

We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of STRIDES participants with you!

Reposted: Five Questions for a Fellow

2010-08-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

The entry below is reposted from Beyond Boulders: Blog of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship.

For Anne Sutkowi and Ashley Roberts (above), running is more than just a hobby—it’s a passion that has sustained them through difficult times, taught them the value of teamwork, and ultimately empowered them to live confident, healthy lives.

So it’s no surprise that as Schweitzer Fellows, these UCLA Master of Public Health students are translating that passion into STRIDES—a program that uses skill-building and 5k training sessions to decrease suicide risk factors by increasing self-esteem and social support among Olympic High School students.

Olympic is one of California’s continuation high schools—state law-mandated programs that provide an alternative path to a diploma for “students vulnerable to academic or behavioral failure.” Read on to find out the ways in which Roberts and Sutkowi’s STRIDES program—which will officially launch on September 13th—will address risk factors for these students.

Why did you decide to develop your particular project?

Roberts and Sutkowi: Suicide is an important and preventable public health concern. In the United States and in Los Angeles County, it is the third leading cause of death among adolescents ages 15-24. Youth at continuation high schools are at risk for multiple physical and mental health issues – including suicide – because they often lack self-esteem, social support, and appropriate coping skills.

Successful suicide prevention for adolescents includes individualized interventions based on identified risk factors and strengthening of social support networks. STRIDES, our running and mentorship program, will focus on reducing risk factors identified through a focus group conducted with youth at Olympic High School and strengthening students’ social support networks.

Running is an outlet through which we both manage stress, set and achieve personal goals, and maintain our physical health, and we are excited to provide Olympic High School youth an opportunity to experience the personal benefits of running. Our hope is that by training for and completing the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk, youth will be inspired to set new personal goals and have the confidence in their abilities to achieve them.

What do you hope will be the lasting impact of your project on the community it serves?

Roberts and Sutkowi: The ultimate goal of STRIDES is to reduce suicidality among Olympic High School students. We hope the youth who complete the program learn invaluable lessons about themselves and useful life skills through the training process and culminating STRIDES 5k Run/Walk.

STRIDES will also give students at Olympic High School an opportunity to build lasting friendships with their peers through skill-building activities and team training for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk. Once we have completed one cycle of the program, we hope to expand STRIDES by reaching out to more continuation high schools.

The STRIDES 5k Run/Walk aims to benefit both the youth participants and the community at large. For the STRIDES participants, it is the chance to accomplish the goal for which they have been training throughout the 10-week program and share their accomplishment with their peers and community. For the community, it is an opportunity to raise awareness about continuation high schools and that suicide is a preventable problem that can and should be addressed by everyone.

What do you think is the most pressing health-related issue of our time, and how do you think it should be addressed?

Sutkowi: Substance Abuse. Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substance use are all named on the top 10 list of actual causes of death in the United States. But as public health professionals, our goal is not only to keep people alive but also to advance people’s physical, mental, and social well-being.

Substance abuse is a problem for all people, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or sexual orientation. It must be addressed on individual, community, and societal levels. Healthcare providers have a responsibility to identify people with substance abuse and dependence, provide them with resources for appropriate care, and prescribe medications responsibly.

Positive youth development programs have been demonstrated as an effective public health approach to the substance abuse problem. We hope that, by providing STRIDES participants with opportunities to be involved with their communities and to build self-esteem and self-efficacy, we will also reduce substance abuse – an important suicide risk factor for youth.

Roberts: Eliminating health disparities. Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his [sic] family.” And yet, one of the two goals of Healthy People 2010 was to eliminate health disparities, which are still a stark reality in American society. Unfortunately, these disparities may expand before they contract, as demographers expect the groups that currently experience poorer health outcomes to grow proportionally over the next decade.

Eliminating health disparities will require the concerted effort of policymakers and advocates to ensure that all Americans have access to preventive and clinical health care, affordable education, and social services. Additionally, public health professionals have the responsibility to appropriately identify high-risk groups and create targeted programs to meet their needs.

We hope that STRIDES will begin to decrease the suicide risk factors that make students at continuation high schools disproportionately at risk for suicide, when compared to their peers at comprehensive high schools.

What has been the most surprising element of your experience as Schweitzer Fellows?

Sutkowi: Having never heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship before beginning my graduate program at UCLA, I continue to be surprised by how many people I come across that have heard of the Fellowship. People from many professional fields and many areas of the country have heard of the Schweitzer Fellowship because Schweitzer Fellows are building positive relationships within communities and making lasting impacts with the individuals and communities in which they are working.

Roberts: What has surprised me most is not the variety of health issues that the Los Angeles Fellows are attempting to tackle, but rather the ingenuity with which they are addressing these issues. It has been instructive to collaborate with individuals from various health-related fields and begin to better understand new tactics for health interventions. I feel honored to be part of such a creative group.

What does being a Schweitzer Fellow mean to you?

Sutkowi: Being a Schweitzer Fellow means belonging to a group of professionals and students who care about their communities and feel a responsibility to help other people. As a Schweitzer Fellow, I feel inspired by other Fellows to be productive and to continue incorporating community service into my career as a public health professional.

Roberts: To me, being a Schweitzer Fellow is an exciting opportunity to put the skills I’m learning in my public health program to use in my community. I also see this as a chance to get to know the health needs of youth in Los Angeles on a deeper and more meaningful level. Finally, like Anne mentioned, the community of Schweitzer Fellows provide an invaluable forum in which I can explore new ideas about how to respond to pressing public health issues in innovative and sustainable ways.

Ashley Roberts and Anne Sutkowi are Schweitzer Fellows in Los Angeles, CA. Click here to read more about The Los Angeles Schweitzer Fellows Program and the Fellows like Roberts and Sutkowi it supports in creating and carrying out yearlong direct service projects. To make a gift to The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship in honor of Roberts’ and Sutkowi’s efforts to empower Los Angeles’ continuation high school students, click here.

What has STRIDES been up to?

2010-08-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! Where has the month of August gone? Time flies when you are busy planning a program that includes 20 skill-building and 5k training sessions and a community 5k Run/Walk to help prevent youth suicide. We wanted to give everyone an update on what we've been up to this month, but first what have you been up to this month?

You have donated $1905 so far to help us run a successful program at Olympic High School.

124 of you became a fan of the STRIDES Facebook page.

Several of you have contacted us about donating shoes and sports bras.

You all rock! We so appreciate all of your support and hope that you continue to share our program's blog, facebook page, twitter account, and story with other people.

What have Ashley and I been up to?

On September 13, STRIDES sessions begin at Olympic High School. Before then, we have a ton of work to do! So far we have:

Developed 6 of the 20 session plans, including sessions on self-esteem and setting and achieving goals.

Secured the location and date for our STRIDES 5k Run/Walk: Dockweiler State Beach on Sunday, November 21.

We are currently working on:

Continuing the development of the STRIDES curriculum.

Finalizing an evaluation plan to maintain the integrity of the STRIDES program and demonstrate any changes in self-esteem and social support among the STRIDES participants.

Determining safe running options for the STRIDES sessions.

Getting t-shirts and water bottles for the STRIDES participants (and t-shirts for those who register for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk)

Developing our Active.com registration page for the STRIDES 5k Run/Walk. Keep your eyes open for a post regarding registration. Coming soon!
Coordinating with friends and friends of friends who work with companies that could donate running shoes, sports bras, water bottles and snacks.

Planning a fundraiser to earn more money for the STRIDES program and reach our $5000 goal.

We will hold our first STRIDES session just less than a month from today. Can you help us reach our $5000 fundraising goal before September 13? If you'd like to donate, you can do so here. You can also email STRIDESLA@gmail.com for a mailing address for any old running shoes or nearly new sports bras.

Thanks again for your support. We couldn't do it without you!

Continuation High School Facts

2010-08-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

Since 1965, California state law has mandated that most school districts with over 100 enrolled 12th grade students make available a continuation/alternative program or school that provides an alternative route to a high school diploma for “students vulnerable to academic or behavioral failure.” While some California residents may be unaware that continuation high schools exist, they are an extremely important resource for over 115,000 Californian high school students each year. Continuation high schools are a major part of California’s efforts to prevent high school dropout.

Continuation high schools often have smaller class sizes and move at a quicker pace to catch students up that have fallen behind in credits. Olympic High School provides 140 students with a smaller learning environment, diverse curriculum and programs. Students at Olympic High School have individualized educational programs that emphasize a standards-based curriculum, intensive guidance/counseling, and project-based learning.

Why STRIDES at a continuation high school?

High school-aged youth are at high risk for suicide. Students at continuation high schools have multiple risk factors that put them at even higher risk for suicide. For example:

Continuation school students are almost 2.5 times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to have changed where they lived two or more times in the last year.
Continuation school students are almost three times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to live in foster care or with a relative other than a parent.
Continuation school students are two to three times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to report that they have either engaged in or been a victim of violence – such as fighting at school, carrying a gun, being a gang member, or being threatened or physically hurt.
Continuation school students are five times more likely than students at comprehensive high schools to use methamphetamines and marijuana.

Additionally, sports participation is a protective factor against suicide, incorporating the benefits of physical activity and social support on physical and mental health. Most continuation high schools are lacking organized sports teams. STRIDES is providing an opportunity for Olympic High School students to work together to build coping and life skills while participating in a 5k training program.

How You Can Help

2010-08-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

We need your help to successfully implement STRIDES. Anne and I have designed this 10-week suicide prevention program to be as cost-effective as possible, but we still need to raise $5,000 to cover its implementation for the approximately 25 students in Olympic High School's incoming class. Additionally, donations will help cover the STRIDES 5k run/walk to raise community awareness about suicide and provide support for the students completing their 5k. Every dollar raised for STRIDES will help us get closer to our goal of reducing suicide risk factors for students at Olympic High School.

If you'd like to donate, please visit our fundraising page. To send a check instead of donating online, please email StridesLA@gmail.com for a mailing address. We appreciate your consideration and support!

Other ways you can help:

Become a fan of STRIDES on Facebook
Follow STRIDES on Twitter
Tell your friends about STRIDES
Link to this page on your website or blog
Hold a fundraiser for STRIDES - email StridesLA@gmail.com for fundraising ideas

About STRIDES

2010-07-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

STRIDES is a 10-week positive youth development program that is being implemented at Olympic Continuation High School in Los Angeles. STRIDES uses skill-building and 5k training sessions to decrease suicide risk factors by increasing self-esteem, self-efficacy and social support among students enrolled in the school's health class.

The program's skill-building sessions focus on topics such as stress management, positive body image, and goal setting. During the physical activity portion of STRIDES, participants train to run or walk a 5k. The topics covered in skill-building sessions are woven into the training portion of the program.

The culminating event of the program is a community 5k run/walk that acknowledges what the students have accomplished throughout the 10 weeks. The 1st Annual event took place on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey. Nearly 150 community members attended the 5k event to show their support for the students.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for high school age students, and students at continuation schools have multiple risk factors. We hope this program will fill several gaps. First, most suicide interventions focus only at the level of crisis and not on the prevention of suicide risk factors. Second, these students may be lacking social and/or emotional support. We hope the skill-building sessions will help to build these support networks. Finally, Olympic Continuation High School does not offer extracurricular sports teams, so STRIDES' physical activity sessions increases exercise opportunities and the mental and physical health benefits associated with sports participation.

If you are interested in bringing STRIDES to your school or organization, please contact STRIDESLA@gmail.com.

Suicide Statistics and Prevention

2010-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Suicide is an important and preventable public health concern. Approximately one million people die from suicide each year worldwide. In youth, ages 15-24, suicide is the third leading cause of death, with a rate of 10 suicides per 100,000 youth. Additionally, there are 100-200 suicide attempts for every one suicide in youth ages 15-24, and every year, one in seven high school students seriously considers suicide. Suicide attempts are higher among young women, but completed suicide attempts happen more often in young men.

The government suggests reducing risk factors as a goal for suicide prevention, but the most prevalent form of suicide prevention is suicide crisis hotlines. While hotlines attempt to prevent the actual crisis from occurring, they do not address the risk factors that lead to the crisis. STRIDES aims to address several of these risk factors, while providing opportunity for building protective factors as well.

Suicide risk factors among high-school aged youth include but are not limited to: depression, having problems in school, substance abuse, feelings of hopelessness or isolation, lack of social support, low self-esteem, homelessness, or LGBT sexual orientation. Many students at continuation or alternative high schools experience several of these risk factors.

Suicide protective factors for youth include perceived social support, positive coping skills, and sport participation. As a suicide prevention program, STRIDES aims to build all of these protective factors through training as a team for the STRIDES 5k run/walk and providing participating youth with interactive group activities to build positive coping skills.

As part of our program, STRIDES hopes to increase community awareness about suicide in youth. By being aware of the warning signs in youth and the resources available, YOU can prevent suicide.

Warning signs include:

Thinking or talking about suicide
Substance use or abuse (increased use or change in substance)
Purposelessness or hopelessness (no sense of purpose or belonging; nothing to live for)
Anger
Feeling trapped or feeling like there is no way out
Withdrawal from family, friends, work, school, activities, hobbies
Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, agitation
Recklessness or high risk-taking behavior
Dramatic changes in mood (suddenly happier/calmer after severe depression)

Specific behaviors parents/friends can look for:

Giving things away, such as prized possessions
Visiting or calling people one cares about after having been socially withdrawn
Talking about suicide
Making arrangements

Websites with more information about suicide prevention and youth suicide:

www.save.org
www.sprc.org
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

How We Got Here

2010-07-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

About seven months ago, we started a program planning and evaluation course series in our public health program at UCLA. The courses require that students - in groups of four - create a hypothetical community health program and evaluation. It was during these two quarters that we developed the concept behind the STRIDES curriculum with two other colleagues.

Several weeks into this process, we came across an opportunity to implement our hypothetical program through the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship - named in honor of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. The U.S. Schweitzer Fellowship was launched in 1992 with four goals in mind:

To provide direct services that address health-related needs of underserved communities;
To influence the professional development of students in health-related fields in ways that strengthen their commitment to public service;
To alter the culture of professional schools to more effectively address the needs of their surrounding communities; and
To support program alumni who continue in lifelong community service.

So over the next year, we will implement and evaluate STRIDES at a continuation high school in Santa Monica. We are joined by 13 other Schweitzer colleagues in Los Angeles who are implementing programs that range from opening a community garden to starting an outdoor adventure program for youth at risk for diabetes.

We are excited about the opportunities for collaboration with our fellowship colleagues and for guidance from an academic and site mentor and our LA fellowship directors.

About Us

2010-07-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

Co-Founders and Co-Directors

Anne Sutkowi and Ashley Roberts both received their Master of Public Health degrees from University of California, Los Angeles in the Community Health Sciences Department. Their academic interests and passion for running inspired them to start STRIDES.

Anne has an MPH and a BA in Psychology and has focused her career thus far doing research and program development regarding substance abuse, eating disorders, and mental disorders. She currently works at innovation Research & Training as a Research Specialist focusing on curriculum development and evaluation of medial literacy substance use prevention programs. Having seen first-hand the devastating effects of mental illness, she is committed to developing and implementing prevention efforts in adolescents.

Anne has been an avid runner since her first 5k with her dad in 6th grade. Since then, she has used long runs as a way to process difficult situations in her life, relieve stress or anxiety, and to simply take her mind off everything. Anne has completed two marathons and plans to train for a triathlon in the near future.

Anne learned through finishing two marathons that - in life - when you get to the point where you think you can't keep going, that's when you really learn what you're made of.

Ashley's professional background is in media relations, and she hopes to combine her interests in public health and media to communicate health messages to the public.  

 Ashley began running competitively in 7th grade and has never lost her passion for the sport. After competing as the only female on her high school cross country team, she ran Division I cross country at Northwestern University and has run six marathons since graduating in 2006. It was at Northwestern that Ashley discovered the positive impact that her teammates could have on her life. The relationships she has developed through running are still among the closest in her life.

 Ashley is so enthusiastic about running that she convinced her now boyfriend to begin training for a marathon with her on the night she met him.

STRIDES Volunteers

Ashley Arax, Coach Coordinator
Ashley has a BS in Environmental Biology and is looking to pursue her interest in the environment at law school. She is currently completing her MPH in Environmental Health Sciences. While not an avid runner (yet), Ashley is a big believer in the power of physical activity to help improve overall outlook and focus. She started playing tennis in 2nd grade and was on the varsity team in high school. In addition to tennis, she loves going to the gym and tearing up the Westwood streets on foot.

Rose Hennessy, Coach
Rose is currently pursuing her MPH in Community Health Sciences at UCLA and is thrilled to join STRIDES. She believes strongly in the ability of exercise coupled with social support to create and maintain healthy lifestyles. This is what has inspired her to pursue her national certification in group fitness and why she is currently in the Fitness Leadership Training program at UCLA where she teaches step, cardio, and strength classes. Running together creates the same positive, encouraging environment, which shows all people they can achieve their goals. Rose cannot wait to run with STRIDES this year!

Liz Ruppel, Community Outreach Coordinator
Liz is currently completing her MPH in UCLA's Community Health Sciences department. She grew up cheering on her dad as he ran road races, was inspired to become a runner herself, and is now excited to help coordinate the 2nd annual STRIDES 5k Run/Walk.