Senior Stories: Margareth, Overcoming Adversity
Margareth Aquino has been running with Students Run LA (SRLA) since 7th grade. A recent graduate of Marshall High School, she is one of five SRLA students who was awarded the prestigious Honda Power of Dreams Scholarship this past spring. This fall, Margareth will take her scholarship to the University of Southern California, where she will major in Pharmacology and Drug Development. Here, Margareth shares her SRLA journey in her own words.
Margareth proudly representing USC in front of the Tommy Trojan Statue.
Being in high school with a baby brother has affected my life in many ways. April of 2022, my sophomore year, my baby brother was born. It took time for me to adjust. When my parents were busy, I had to learn to feed him, wash his clothes and bottles, memorize the ratio of formula to water; I had to learn how to be a big sister.
This past season, I wasn’t supposed to participate in the SRLA team at my school. Before my senior year started, my parents had a talk with me regarding SRLA. While it’s something they know I enjoy doing, they made it clear to me that this school year is unlike any other, due to my father’s sickness. They told me how I need to play a bigger role at home in not only taking care of him and household chores, but also my role in taking care of my almost 2-year-old brother, now that my father cannot do the same things with the same amount of strength he once was able to.
This conversation broke me. Running was how I coped and now I was being told I couldn’t do something I had been part of for so many years. When I talked to my coach and my friends about it, they supported me in a way I’ve never felt before. My friends and my coaches became the ones who would drive me to and from practices, who would wait for me to finish even though they could have left an hour earlier. My coach understood that I had to head back to school early during practices because I had to be home in time to make dinner for everyone and put my baby brother to sleep.
It was only through the family I made in SRLA, that I was able to complete one more marathon. Without their support, I wouldn’t have had the means to complete the program one more year. And it was through this hardship of being the person who needed rides or a shortcut during practice that I became closer to this family.
Coach Pfeffer says, “She showed more strength this year than almost anyone out there - running as stress management, for sanity, and to take time to put her own needs first.”
Margareth giving her friend a hug after he gave a speech during the 2024 SPRING INTO SUMMER 5K.
SRLA became my safe space at school through both the people and the act of running itself. The people on the team were the people that helped me overcome the sadness and tiredness being at home had on me. It helped make my life at home be more bearable, and SRLA gave me something to look forward to. Now that my last season has reached its end, it doesn’t mean I lost my safe space. I met people that will stay with me throughout my whole life. I learned how running became my remedy to being okay with life.
My life in the past three years has changed more than I ever expected. But no matter the stress or sadness I may feel, I remember the people and the lessons SRLA taught me and take it with me every single day.
Margareth’s High School graduation outfit.
A booth that Margareth and her friends created to promote SRLA at her High School’s club rush.
Community Contribution
Before our 2023-2024 season, I had helped, along with some fellow teammates, represent the program at our school’s club rush. We brought the items like medals, shoes, sweatshirts, and shirts to our table as those caught people’s eyes. But the most important part of representing the program was our stories. Whether it was club rush or informational meetings, I found that sharing my experiences with the team helps recruit people. This team is more than just kids running, we really become a family and make lifelong friendships. I have met some of my best friends through this team, gained a hobby for life, but also I’ve become someone who can say I have accomplished something in my life. With all these positive experiences, I want others to gain these experiences as well, and make memories that can become core parts of their high school experience.
My school community is one that I believe holds a lot of purpose, and I find it’s important to bring these communities together. With our school’s team consisting of a majority of seniors, I hope that through my efforts, more people will join the program in the coming years and gain relationships that will stay with them as we all grow up and become who we are meant to become.