Detroit Teacher, Elementary Students Ready For Race Day
Kelly Hall
| 3 min read
A smile crept across 10-year-old Emanuel’s face Monday afternoon as he sprinted past the oak tree and finished his longest run to date— 2.5 miles.
This Saturday the scenery will look slightly different. Instead of running past a tree in Detroit’s Clark Park, Emanuel will cross the actual finish line at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Riverfront Run and complete his very first 5K race.
He’ll be running alongside three of his classmates from Earhart Elementary-Middle School with the help of his fifth grade teacher and running coach, Amy Tulip. The race will be the culmination of three months of hard work for Tulip’s running club, the Amelia Earhart Flyers.
Tulip founded the club earlier this year to give her students an opportunity to get active and exercise together. She traveled to Kentucky to become a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. Tulip knew if she was going to train her students for a race, she wanted to do it the right way.
For her, running with the kids means more than just getting exercise. Like her students, Tulip grew up in southwest Detroit. She went on to graduate from Michigan State University and was proud to return home as a teacher for Detroit Public Schools. She says she loves Detroit and wants to expose her students to all the great things about the city.
“I want these kids to know they come from somewhere good,” said Tulip. “I grew up here and came from the same exact neighborhood. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
Joining Emanuel on Saturday are classmates 10-year-old Vianny, 11-year-old Vianca, and 11-year-old Sydney, who say running helps them be more confident and build strength.
Tulip is proud to see the strides her runners have made both in their training and in the classroom. She encourages all parents to help set similar goals for their children.
“It’s as simple as getting outside together and making a regular routine of it,” said Tulip, who suggests families can trying going for a walk after dinner.
After staying past the bell twice a week for the past several months of training, the Flyers are ready to show off what they’ve been working toward. Though their goal will be achieved at Saturday’s race, Tulip hopes her runners will continue to challenge themselves and their loved ones to keep moving every day.
The 2nd annual Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Riverfront Run will take place Saturday, June 6, 2015 with registration and packet pickup starting at 7:30 a.m. Click here for more information or to register for the event. Online registration ends Thursday, June 4.
Update: Watch the video below to see Amy and the Earhart Flyers achieve their goal at the BCBSM Riverfront 5K Run!
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Photo credit: A Healthier Michigan
