Fifth graders at the University of Texas Elementary School will receive a new pair of athletic shoes for the third straight year from RunTex, the nation’s largest store devoted to running, on Friday, May 20 at 2:30 p.m. at the school.
Paul Carrozza, RunTex owner, is making the shoe donation and sponsoring a group of students involved in Born to Run, an after-school program, to participate in the Congress Avenue Mile on May 21.
At UT Elementary School students are taught the importance of participating regularly in physical activity as a way to keep fit and build a strong foundation focused on the benefits of exercise. Students engage with a physical education instructor several days a week, participate in an annual school-wide track and field day, a 5K fun run that gets their families involved and after-school programs that emphasize physical activity performance like the WellNest and Born to Run.
Born to Run matches students with coaches and athletes from The University of Texas at Austin to train every Friday afternoon. As a goal, students are encouraged to run in a race like the Congress Avenue Mile.
The shoe donation comes before the scheduled run and will recognize the students’ hard work and commitment to the program.
“Running is something I am passionate about, and I see that passion sparked in the students at UT Elementary School,” said Carrozza. “When students set out to train over a period of several months they see the work it takes to improve one’s running time and get better results, and that transfers to other parts of their lives and makes them want to try harder and go farther.”
Now in its eighth year of operation, UT Elementary School at 2200 E. Sixth St. is a research-based demonstration school in East Austin. It is operated by The University of Texas at Austin’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement as a free, open-enrollment campus, serving 260 pre-kindergarten to fifth-grade students. To learn more about the school and its programs visit, www.utelementary.org.
