San Fernando teacher wins award for mentoring running club students

SAN FERNANDO, Calif. (KABC) -- A high school running club in San Fernando is getting more than just a workout thanks to help from Manny Castellanos.

Castellanos, who grew up in the area, used to run only at dawn because his parents worried about his safety in a gang-ridden neighborhood.

He returned to his old neighborhood, now as Lakeview Charter High School's visual art teacher, baseball and running coach.

"For me running is a therapy. I know a lot of them see it as their time to kind of take out any kind of stress to think about their day," Castellanos said.

Even if the club members don't take city or state, they still win if someone has their back, even if they're not at practice or a competition.

"He not only teaches, but he also coaches three different sports. He's a chaperone at all of the events. He takes kids on field trips. He believes the best in everyone around him. He always, always pushes you to be better," said 12th grade economics teacher Jami Jurich.

Jurich says she hated to run but he enticed her to join in. She's now run four half-marathons and one full.

The school teams run up to forty miles a week on top of a full school load.

"In order to participate they have to keep up a 2.5 or higher for us," Castellanos said.

Castellanos received Brooks "Coach of the Year" inspirational award which gives his school athletic gear and money for their program.

"I'm most excited about what it means for our team. Providing a lot of students who maybe want to participate, but can't afford shoes - they'll have that," he said. "It takes a lot of determination, dedication, hard work, commitment. And if they learn, that they can apply those same values to anything in life, they'd be surprised just how far they can go."