Susanne Runs to Close the Achievement Gap
Since its inaugural year, The Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon has aligned with local non-profit organization, the Berkeley Public Schools Fund, to support programs that enrich educational opportunities in Berkeley schools. The funds raised by the Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon runners for the Schools Fund have supported much-needed programs, including literacy, music, science and more.
Over the past three years, runners and community members have supported the Berkeley Public Schools Fund Team in the Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon, raising over $90,000 in charitable donations. Recently, those dollars helped the Berkeley Public Schools Fund reach their record $1 million fundraising goal in the 2014-2015 year.
Runner Spotlight: Susanne Reed
Susanne Reed was a 1st Grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Berkeley for many years, and recently moved into the role of Vice Principal at Malcolm X Elementary. Her two children attend Jefferson Elementary, and her husband also works for Berkeley Unified School District.
Click here to donate on Susanne’s fundraising page.
Last year, Susanne was granted a fellowship from the Berkeley Public Schools Fund for a conference at Harvard University called “Closing the Achievement Gap: Strategies for Equity with Excellence,” to help improve achievement for students of color.
She said, “The four-day conference was filled with so much information. We explored data, teaching quality, and most importantly the lives of the children we serve. It felt good to be a student again, and to have time to receive this quality education. I was excited, I was engaged, I want to change the world. Most of all, I want to provide the feeling I had this summer to every student at my school.”
Interested in fundraising for the Berkeley Public Schools Fund? Runners can participate in the Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon’s 2016 events for free with a Schools Fund Fundraising Commitment. Click here to learn more.
DONATE LEARN MOREVisit the Biofreeze Berkeley Half Marathon’s Crowdrise page for information about making a donation or setting up an individual fundraiser for your race.
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