16 APRIL 2021 By Rachael Bouley A group of Veritas Prep students took the mile run to new heights with the 4x4x48 challenge over a mid-February weekend. Gage Lentz, Jake Marbach, Will Tork, Ian Rathsburg and Brody Richter ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours, covering 48 miles and raising over $5,500 for the Be Kind Project, a Chandler-based organization whose mission is “to focus on specific projects that have a direct impact on animals, children and those in need.” The students were inspired by ultra- marathoner David Goggins, who created the challenge last year. They started a GoFundMe page and spread the word, blowing their fundraising goal of $1,000 out of the water. The boys weren’t alone in hitting the pavement, with guest runners joining them, including Veritas staff and students. The last lap had about 20 students running or biking alongside the group for a strong and supportive finish. While all five of them are athletes, Ian is the only runner, while Jake swims, Brody plays soccer, Will plays football, and Gage plays football and baseball. The boys said the challenge pushed them physically, mentally and emotionally, but it was well worth it. “The first 16 miles were easy, and then as the tightness set in, it became more difficult,” Gage said. “The challenge was largely mental. Waking up at 4 a.m. was difficult.” Brody rode his bike and fought through the tiredness. “The mental fatigue was the hardest, getting up every three-and-a-half hours to ride my bike in the dark. I rode with a speaker and music for the runners,” Brody said. “All I could hear was ‘turn up the music,’ but I didn’t want to wake up the neighbors.” For Jake, pushing through the early wake- up calls and exhaustion was made easier knowing they were raising money for an important cause. “I have a parent who has had cancer three different times, and I know the challenges that families face with not knowing what is going to happen,” Jake said. “When I found out that the Be Kind Project helps families pay for cancer treatments if they do not have insurance, I knew I had to do something for them.” The others shared the sentiment, acknowledging how important it is to take time to help those going through hardships. “We do a lot of things to benefit us, so to be able to do something for the benefit of the world around us, something bigger than us, was significant,” Ian said. “We also knew that once we started raising money for something, there would be no backing out. We could not quit, so it was motivating to finish.” “The experience was unlike anything else we have ever done,” Will said. The five boys learned valuable lessons throughout their fundraising challenge. “There is something about suffering with others. It brought us closer. When doing something like this, you think of things differently. If I can do this, I can push myself to do other hard things,” Jake said. “At first, 48 seemed like a lot of miles, but at the end, we were sprinting. We had so much more left in the tank. I know we could do more.” Veritas Prep students take on marathon challenge Gage Lentz, Jake Marbach, Will Tork, Ian Rathsburg and Brody Richter raised over $5,000 for the Be Kind Project. PHOTO COURTESY OF VERITAS PREP By Jennifer Marshall Luke Alvarado and Savannah Shorb, eighth-graders at Ingleside Middle School, recently received awards for ASU’s 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest for their profiles on heroism within their own families. ASU sent notices to teachers throughout the Valley encouraging them to take advantage of the program. Students were asked to write about someone who is a hero to them. Ingleside Principal Erin Kadera said teachers Ms. Doan and Mr. Wagner were a big help in getting their kids excited about the contest. Savannah won second place in the middle school category for an essay about her grandfather, an eye surgeon who has traveled the world to do surgeries for free. “My grandfather was part of Esperance and Surgical Eye Expeditions,” Savannah said, “and he volunteered his time to do procedures.” “I was honored to have Savannah write that little treatise about my work,” Savannah’s grandfather Stanley said. “We made many trips to countries like Tibet, Bolivia, China and India,” Stanley said. “While we helped people, we always learned something because the kind of operations we did there we didn’t necessarily do here. Surgeries were much harder because of the lack of equipment and the advanced nature of the diseases we treated. I’m appreciative that Savannah took the time to acknowledge my work, and I’m very proud of her.” Luke, who placed third, wrote about his dad and how he helped kids get computers during the pandemic. “Some kids didn’t have computers,” Luke said, “so my dad, working through his company, helped them get computers so they could continue their education. They were donated to individuals and families throughout the Valley.” “I was honored when I found out Luke had written about me,” Luke’s father Robert said. “I didn’t know for two weeks that he’d won the contest, and then he showed the essay to me. When I read his words, they brought tears to my eyes. I’m very proud of him.” “My dad helped these kids through a tough time, which was a good thing to do,” Luke said. “He says some kids were teary-eyed or crying because they were so happy to get the same education that others were getting.” Savannah and Luke each received a poster containing their essay, a t-shirt, a bookmark and a medal. “I’m incredibly proud of our students for participating and recognizing the heroes in their life,” Kadera said. Savannah and Luke’s essays are online at asu.edu/mlk. Ingleside students reflect on heroism for essay contest D O N AT E T O D AY: www.azpowerpaws.org/donate/arizona-tax-credit ARIZONA CHARITABLE TAX CREDIT (CQO 20717) REMOVE BARRIERS. EMPOWER PEOPLE FOR INDEPENDENCE. Provide an assistance dog for a disabled child or adult. OUR MISSION: To provide highly skilled assistance dogs to people with disabilities, education, and continuing support for working assistance dog teams, and to be a resource in the community for people with disabilities. WHO WE SERVE: Disabled children and adults with Type I Diabetes, PTSD, and Mobility Challenges. We also provide Facility dogs for victims advocate programs. ENDENCE. D O N A T E T O D A Y : ARIZONA GIVES DAY April 6, 2021 Savannah Shorb Luke Alvarado

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