Latin Academy Teacher Running Marathon To Raise Funds For School

BOSTON (CBS) -If you're in Kenmore Square on Marathon Monday, you're going to see a loud and large group of students from Boston Latin Academy.

They'll be there to cheer on a runner who has become very important influence in their lives. So important, they wrote to WBZ-TV to tell us all about her.

"I am both very excited and very moved to see Ms. Gentile be able to run in this Marathon," said one student.

Angela Gentile wanted to improve team building and community spirit, and thought running the Boston Marathon would be a great way to do it. The response has overwhelmed her.

"When 7th grade students rally together, and bought me shoes, bought me sneakers, so the outpouring of support is a very humbling experience," says Gentile.

Her run is also a fundraiser effort. If Gentile can raise $5,000, it will be matched by the Anti-Poverty organization "Boston Rising" with all the money going towards after school activities, field trips and improving technology in the school by making laptops more accessible to students.

It's important to this teacher that her students know they matter.

"I don't think that kids in general get enough accolades and enough high fives," says Gentile. "I get to see their growth, and development, and their insight, and I'm proud of that, and I'm very proud that I helped contribute to it."

Gentile has even worked the team building theme into her class plan, encouraging her students to recognize the good deeds that their classmates do for one another.

"It is very touching to know that they care," says Gentile. "They care more than I would ever imagine or expect them to."

"I think about it when I'm running, and my body hurts, and I'm 16 miles out and I'm like 'this sucks,' I kind of get, I get very emotional. I'm doing this for them. It means so much to us as a school, and I am just so honored that I get to do it."

And that keeps her going as she trains for Marathon Monday. That, and the thought of all those kids wearing their gold t-shirts and cheering for her.

WBZ-TV is the only place to get start to finish coverage of the 116th Boston Marathon, beginning Monday April 16 at 8am.