‘Sports give students confidence’

Boston Marathon Why I’m Running: ‘Sports give students confidence’ Michelle Dvorak is running the Boston Marathon for the nonprofit Good Sports.
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Michelle Dvorak
Age: 59
City/State: Oak Lawn, Ill.
Running the Boston Marathon is to be part of an elite group. Running for Good Sports is an honor. As a 5th grade teacher, I see firsthand what an impact sports has on students. I’ve had students that were quiet and didn’t volunteer in class discussions. Those same students then join a team and, all of a sudden, they are volunteering in class discussions. Sports gives students a confidence that carries over into their academics. Those quiet students are now holding their heads up high and letting their voices be heard. Being part of a sports team also carries over into group projects in the classroom. Working with their teammates prepares them to work cooperatively with others in the classroom.
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There’s a visible confidence I see in my students who participate in sports. Every child should get to experience that feeling and that’s why Good Sports is such an impactful charity for our youth.
On a personal note, I’m running the Boston Marathon because of my late husband, Ralph Dvorak. He talked about wanting to run a marathon for years. I suggested we start with running some 5Ks and working our way up to a half marathon. We did and then committed to training for a full marathon. We trained together and ran our first marathon together in 2006. My husband passed away of brain cancer in 2018.
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Not really thinking I would ever run another marathon again, I woke up one morning and decided I needed to run for brain cancer research. I ran the Chicago Marathon in October of 2018 raising thousands of dollars for research. My finishing time was the exact time my husband and I ran in 2006.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

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