In 1986, a continuation high school teacher, Harry Shabazian, in East Los Angeles finished the first Los Angeles Marathon and felt personally transformed by the experience.  He then challenged his students, who were in trouble or headed for it, to train with him for the next Marathon and change their lives as well.  These young people, labeled misfits and under-achievers, not only finished the LA Marathon the following year, but also finished high school and went to college and jobs.

Then in 1988, two other continuation high school teachers, Eric Spears and Paul Trapani, joined Harry, and the three teachers ran with their students.  In 1989, Roberta Weintraub, a member of the Los Angeles Board of Education, saw what the teachers were doing as an effective and innovative dropout after-school program for Los Angeles Unified School District students.  She and her deputy, Marsha Charney, established the program in LAUSD.

That was a turning point for SRLA.  On March 4, 1990, two dozen teachers from around the city joined the three co-founders, with students from their respective schools, and together, they all ran in the Los Angeles Marathon V.

In 1993, SRLA spun off from LAUSD and became an independent 501(c)(3) organization.  Today, that one teacher and his handful of students have grown to 450 teachers and 3000 students from 175 schools and community programs throughout Los Angeles. SRLA has successfully carried out the same teacher-led training program, to challenge at-risk secondary students to experience the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing them with a truly life-changing experience:  The training for and completion of the Honda LA Marathon.

Since 1989, more than 45,000 students have been served by SRLA.  The growth of the program has only increased its success.  Each year:

• More than 95% of the students who start the marathon, finish the full 26.2 mile course
• More than 95% of the seniors who run the marathon graduate from high school
• More than 90% of SRLA graduating seniors have plans to attend college

In March 2011, there were 2,780 SRLA runners at the Los Angeles Marathon and 97% of them finished.  In June 2011, 97% of the 532 seniors who completed the Marathon with SRLA graduated from high school.

We know students who participate in SRLA:

• Enjoy school and learning
• Think school is not a waste of time
• Are sure they will succeed when they set a goal
• Are able to deal with their problems
• Make better plans for after high school

22 years of Students Run LA:

• 1,920,000 miles covered by SRLA participants during 2010-11 alone
• 186,000 hours collectively given by the volunteer teacher leader annually
• 92,000 pairs of running shoes
• 64,000 training shirts
• 45,000 students
• 6,000 volunteer teacher leaders
• 1,354 scholarships awarded
• 1 goal – completing the LA Marathon