Emma joined the team in May of 2023 but started her 100 Mile Club journey in 2006 as a kindergartener running at McKinley Elementary in California (Let’s GO, Mountain Lions!
).
100 Mile Club was a huge part of my childhood during elementary school. It was definitely ingrained in our school culture, I didn’t know other schools didn’t have 100 Mile Club! One of my favorite memories with 100 Mile Club is in fifth grade when my teacher would take us out every morning to run. She would say, “Run as much as you can in the time it takes me to walk my 5 laps,” (which was a mile). My friends and I would walk with her and those were some of my most cherished moments with any of my teachers. She would chat with us and listen to us. 100 Mile Club allowed us to have this time outside, to move our bodies, and to spend time with our teacher which ultimately translated into a better classroom environment. I’ll never forget those memories.
I was a very shy child growing up, and so playing competitive sports during school was very nerve wracking for me, often leaving me embarrassed and resentful of my athleticism. However, with 100 Mile Club, it was me against the track. I could focus on my goal and be in control of how I would get there. The sense of personal responsibility fueled me and I excelled in running. More importantly – I enjoyed it. I was able to find a love for exercise in a supportive and safe environment while having fun along the way,
After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Political Science, I found my passion for education and youth and community programs. In a full circle moment, I found myself back at 100 Mile Club to give kids the same experience I had growing up. I believe in nothing more than supporting youth development through education and social emotional learning. Programs like 100 Mile Club aid in teaching children essential life lessons and life skills that are needed to grow into healthy, happy, and connected teens and adults. I love working for a program that is easy to pour your heart into. I look forward to bringing more schools aboard to share the 100 Mile Club joy!
Thank you, Emma, for sharing your 100 Mile Club journey with us! We are excited to have you on the team, and we can’t wait to see all the great things you do!
