Name: Jeanell Rhodes

Relationship to SPA: Teacher

Longest Distance Run to Date: walked about 2.5 miles

Scheduled Race(s) on Behalf of SPA: Crescent City Classic

Reason for Participating in Stride For Success: I am walking on behalf of Success Preparatory Academy because we are school that strives for excellence in every sense of the word. We push our students to excel in all that they do.  By participating in this marathon, I will help bring attention to my school, as a school that is working to help change and expand the minds and attitudes of our students when it comes to their lives' success and education. This marathon is away for me to show my dedication to helping make the future of the world brighter and stronger.

Want to support this runner?  Here's how:

1. Like our Stride for Success campaign on Facebook
2. Cheer this runner on and post a message on our wall
3. Share our video with your friends and family
4. Help this runner meet his/her goal and  donate now

Success Preparatory Academy (SPA) is a Kindergarten through 4th grade high performing "transformation" charter school that opened its doors in August 2009. Each year, we will grow by one grade level, eventually serving over 600 students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. We are a team of results driven educators who offer a world class education to this great city's children.

We serve some of the most at-risk children in the country, as our school has a population of 96% free and reduced lunch students. There is a dire need in New Orleans for high quality schools, which SPA aims to fill. We provide rigorous, data-driven instruction in language arts, math, science, and social studies and build the whole child by providing music and physical education on a daily basis. Each of our students is required to complete a minimum of ten service learning hours each year, and by the time they graduate from SPA they will have been on 15 college visits around the country.