Meridian Teacher is Running 135 Miles To Help Students

Compass Public Charter School band and choir teacher, Ben Blessing, has plans to run farther in three days than most of us drive in a week.  And it's all to raise money to buy new instruments for students.  

Ben Blessing isn't messing around.  He says the 2019 Badwater Ultramarathon is considered one of the toughest races in the world, and he'll be braving the intense heat to run 135 miles from Badwater Basin to the Mount Whitney Trailhead.  The starting line is at the lowest elevation in North America, and the race finishes at the trailhead to the Mt. Whitney summit, which is the highest point continental US.  Any person that attempts a run on a course like that must have a lot of ambition, stamina, and bananas for fuel.  It's no small feat.

Mr. Blessing wants a good music education for every student, and the money he raises through this grueling race will be used to help buy school instruments for those that can't afford them.

A GoFundMe account has been set up with the goal of raising $50,000 to support Mr. Blessing in the run, and at last check, he was still well short of his goal.  Every little bit helps, and if you'd like to contribute you can do that HERE.

Compass Public Charter School was founded with the goal of developing "servant leaders," and that means people who share power and put the needs of others first.  Students have to have 80 community service hours to graduate, and teachers, staff, and parents spend much of their time volunteering too.

The 135-mile run by Mr. Blessing next week could be the most ambitious way yet to put others first.  And potentially the most inspiring too.

The 42nd Badwater Ultramarathon will take place Monday-Wednesday, July 15-17th, and there will be 21 nationalities represented from 19 countries.

Mr. Blessing is the only person from Idaho that's entered.