Local students organize run to benefit ALS research

Event named after late husband of former teacher

By Kate Miller
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 2:18 PM CDT

From left, Webster Groves High School seniors Steve Davis, Andrew Dent and Forrest Dougan stand in front of the planning board for the seventh annual Jim Schoemehl 5k Run. The year, 40 students in the marketing II class are organizing the event.

At Webster Groves High School, the marketing II classroom is the buzzing center of operations for the upcoming seventh annual Jim Schoemehl 5k Run.

The students are wrapping up sponsorship deals, working with local businesses for concessions and spreading the word. The run will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 10, at the school, and proceeds will benefit ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) research.

The marketing students organize the event as a class project that encompasses the entire second semester. Throughout the years, the event has raised more than $50,000.If dreams come true, the students will book a prominent St. Louisan to join the run this year. They asked, "Who knows or knows someone who knows someone recognizable?" They tossed around names such as broadcasters Bob Costas and Joe Buck, and St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa before event chairperson Andrew Dent, 18, interjects, "How many times do you think (La Russa) has run in the past few years?"

They make a mental note: La Russa may not want to run.

Getting a celebrity, they concede, is a long shot but worth looking into because celebrities are a draw.

"The more of St. Louis we get involved, the more money we're going to raise," said Steve Davis, 18, who is in charge of race day operations.

Andrew added, "The more sponsorship the better, because it helps pay for things ahead of time."

Once costs are paid, he said, everything else goes to charity.

The event bears the name of former Webster Groves High School marketing teacher Alicia Schoemehl's late husband. She left her teaching position to care for Jim, but comes back to talk to students as they plan the annual event.

"This is a huge deal to them," Schoemehl said. "They run it like a business; they do all the marketing, all the planning, finding sponsors.

"They learn about marketing, but also about life and community."

Forrest Dougan, 17, said professionalism was something students had to learn.

"The phone calls started as, 'This is ... like ... (so and so) from ... like ... Webster Groves High School,'" he said, imitating a meek and nervous voice.

The "likes" and other nervous gestures disappeared as the students' confidence grew.

For Steve, the coup was getting the official race T-shirts at a bargain. T-shirts are a big deal. Their teacher, Kara Siebe, said last year's event had 600 runners but the students sold 1,000 T-shirts.

"I think every student in the school owns a Jim Schoemehl T-shirt," Andrew said.

Steve negotiated with a couple of businesses to get the best deal. He recalled meeting with representatives of TeamWear Promotions, the company that eventually offered the winning bid.

"It was really formal," Steve said. "We talked around a conference table. He didn't treat us like kids."

They also learned about letdowns. Forrest originally signed up to co-chair a bike-riding segment to the run. Bureaucratic red tape made it impossible to accomplish in time.

"(Next year's marketing II students) literally would have to start planning now to have a bike ride next year," he said. Siebe assigns students projects based on their interests. She said they use math, English, art, computer and social skills as they make their way through the organizing phases of the event. Most of the work is done during class, and students are supervised but have to motivate themselves to meet goals, she said.

For many students, they are hearing about ALS for the first time. It is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease causes the degeneration of neurons that control muscle movement. As it progresses, patients lose the ability to move, and in the last stages, they lose the ability to breathe.

Sara (Story) Krenski was a senior in Schoemehl's marketing class when Jim was diagnosed with ALS in 2001.

"She told the entire class and explained what ALS was, and told us that there is no treatment or cure, and that her husband was going to die," Krenski recalled. "She informed everyone that she had to stop teaching to help care for him."

The students didn't know Jim, but they wanted to support the teacher they cared so much about.

"She was one of those teachers that you could really look up to, respect and know you would always stay in contact with," Krenski said. "We felt compelled to do something to help. A run was the first thing I could think of that we could put together quickly."

Under the guidance of Jennifer McCormac, the teacher who had replaced Alicia Schoemehl, the students organized the first run in Jim Schoemehl's honor.

"The first year, we raised over $6,000 and the event has continued to grow every year," Krenski said.

Schoemehl said many students return year after year to participate in the run.

Jim passed away in 2003 at age 40. Their daughter, Bradie, is now 8. Schoemehl said her husband, whom she described as a "gracious and quiet" man, attended the first two events.

"It was a big compliment to us; to have his name attached to it is really an honorable thing," she said. "It means a lot to me."

By no coincidence, Krenski is the development coordinator for the ALS Association St. Louis Regional Chapter. In that role, she returns to her former high school to talk about ALS and how the run originated. She said each crop of kids she meets is just as enthusiastic as the previous.

"The kids feel they're a part of something bigger than themselves," Krenski said.

Forrest said he feels an adrenaline rush because he is doing something for a good cause.

Andrew said, "It's an amazing experience. It's a big event for any high-schooler to be a part of."

Steve said, "I wanted to do something real, that counted. I'm excited about it."

Registration starts at 7 a.m. and the run begins at 8 a.m. May 10 at the high school. The route winds through historic Webster Groves and ends back at the high school. Participants will get a commemorative T-shirt, refreshments and door prizes. The top three runners in each category will receive trophies. People of all age groups and skill levels are encouraged to attend.

Last year, the goal was to raise $8,000, and the students raised $13,000. This year's goal is $15,000. Money raised at the event will benefit the ALS Association, the Jack Orchard ALS Foundation and a local family living with the illness.

Want to participate?

What: Seventh annual Jim Schoemehl 5k Run

When: Saturday, May 10

Where: Webster Groves High School (upper parking lot), 100 Selma Ave.

Registration: 7 a.m.

Run time: 8 a.m.

Cost: $5 for kids, $10 for students, $15 for adults or $20 on run day

Call: (314) 918-4160,

E-mail: jimschoemehlrun@gmail.com

Website: www.jimsrun.com