Students inspire local principal to run Philadelphia Marathon

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Thousands of people will lace up for the Philadelphia Marathon this weekend.

Among them, a local principal who will sweat out those 26.2 miles for her students and her school.

"We are Mitchell. This is our house!"

That's the motto of Mitchell Elementary School. The K-8 school in Southwest Philadelphia needs 240 computers, and are working to raise the $94,000 needed to get them.

They are doing it by literally following in their principal's footsteps.

"We set up a GoFundMe page, Miles for Mitchell. The kids are doing the 'Fun Run' today, and I'm doing the marathon on Sunday. So far we've raised about $15,000 of our $94,000 goal," said Stephanie Andrewlevich, principal.

Friends and family sponsored Friday morning's 'Fun Run' - so did the community.

"Every student was asked to try to get five $1 donations, so we'll be counting up the donations today," said Andrewlevich.

The school is only expecting to raise a small portion of what they need, but they're hoping some donors take notice and help them fill the gap.

"We're actually a turnaround school now because in the last four years our data has been on the decline, but in the last year-and-a-half, we have completely revitalized the climate of the school," said Andrewlevich.

The school has resources from the district, but in order to get their scores up, the principal says they need more technology. And she also says this is a learning lesson for the kids.

"There needs to be equity and resources, but when you aren't given something in life you deserve, you have to fight positively to get it," said Andrewlevich.

And they are her motivation to finish the marathon.

"I picture all of these faces are in my mind when I want to stop, which is often," said Andrewlevich.