Jackelyn: Still Setting Goals!

Set your goals! These three words still resonate with Jackelyn Valladares, a 12-year alumna of SRLA. Upon seeing this Instagram post, Jackelyn immediately responded with a message of her deepest thanks.

“If it wasn’t for SRLA, I would not [be] the person I am today.”

Beginning her run with the program as a freshman at John Marshall High School in 2003, Jackelyn still recalls her first days with SRLA. “I was overweight and I wanted to be healthy. I was very intimated by the ultimate goal of running a marathon, but I wanted to challenge myself. SRLA transformed my whole perspective.”

This new mindset carried Jackelyn through high school as she went on to run cross-country and track and was eventually recruited to run at Humboldt University, where she studied Urban Planning and Ethnic Studies.

Now working in public education in some of the toughest neighborhoods, Jackelyn is dedicated to changing lives.

“SRLA helps transform students in many avenues and [my] mission is to help so ALL students graduate prepared for college, leadership, and life. I am extremely proud that I am involved with an organization that creates change and transforms lives in the most underserved neighborhoods in Los Angeles.”

Since her start with SRLA, Jackelyn has run over 100 races, including 15 full marathons, and continues to inspire herself and the members of her community with her continuing success. Her current goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon and the SRLA community will be avidly cheering for her every step of the way.