On Saturday a few SDA students will participate in “Finish Chelsea’s Run” at Balboa Park, a 5k which will raise money for San Diego Youth as part of the Chelsea’s Light Foundation’s Sunflower Scholarship Fund.

Junior Kate Shapiro has been a Student Ambassador of the run for two years and helped organize it last year. “This is the first year in which I am involving the students of SDA to run the event,” said Shapiro.

Shapiro described Chelsea’s Light Foundation as an “organization founded by the parents of a Poway teen murder and sexual abuse victim, Chelsea King. ‘Finish Chelsea’s Run’ is meant to be the biggest fundraiser for the organization.”

Chelsea was killed in February 2010 while running at Lake Hodges.

“In terms of the day itself, it is structured in two parts: a 5k run through the beautiful Balboa Park and museum pathway and afterwards, a large set-up of vendors with different snacks and water for the runners. Then there is usually a “Thank You” ceremony and certain teens are awarded college scholarships to their dedication to helping their community,” said Shapiro.

Senior Shannon O’Donnell is one of SDA’s students planning on running in the event.

According to O’Donnell, training for a 5k is mostly “mental.” “Convincing yourself you can do it is what seems to be the most difficult part,” said O’Donnell.

After the training she has had, O’Donnell said, “There is no way I wouldn’t be running in this 5k,” she continued that, “the run itself has such an overarching message and story that I feel proud to be participating in the event.”

Shapiro is hoping to have 20-30 SDA students participate in “Finish Chelsea’s Run,” and added, “As high school students, it becomes harder to empathize with others and this run can show people what a little bit of empathy can do. The students of SDA have the power to make anything better if we just set our minds to it.”