LAUSD held a wellness event at Dodger Stadium a year after the fires to foster resilience

By Zamourad Iqbal

Los Angeles Unified School District hosted the LAUSD 5K Health and Wellness Festival on Saturday at Dodger Stadium featuring activities, support and solidarity for all attendees to promote fitness, mental health and resilience as they continue to deal with fire recovery.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, who joined the 5K run, said he felt the passion of the event as he finished the race.

“Lungs a little bit out of air, legs a little sore, but an absolutely full and fulfilled heart,” Carvalho said. “When 10,000 people who believe in LAUSD come together, we’re looking at 10,000 dreamers, freedom fighters, and believers. Today we are one Los Angeles Unified, and we are the best of our community.”

Carvalho discussed the event’s main goal, to mark a year since the beginning of recovery from the Altadena and Pacific Palisades fires in January of 2025.

“It’s a year of remembrance, a moment of pain, but also a moment when we come together, acknowledge our common pain, and declare we are winners,” Carvalho said. “We have incredible stamina and strength. … We are Los Angeles.”

LAUSD Wellness Program Director William Celestine, emphasized the importance of the 5K wellness event and its impact on the community’s overall well-being.

“It’s very important for us to be mindful of not only our physical health but also our mental health,” Celestine said. “The 5K helps us address physical health by walking and running. So it isn’t just about academics, but it’s about everything, our mind, our body.”

Kwan Leung, a participant in the run, explained why running is important for building the community.

“This whole running thing builds community. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity you are, or what background you come from,” Leung said. “Everybody should be running together, having fun, working hard, and celebrating all the hard work we’ve done together on this course we share.”

Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health Senior Adviser Maryjane Puffer, a vendor from a nonprofit organization at the event, noted that the event covered all aspects of wellness, including dental care.

“The 5K is about health and wellness, and your mouth is part of the body, so if your mouth is not healthy, you’re not healthy,” Puffer said. “The tooth fairy belongs at this event, and I’m really happy that LAUSD has been a great partner in promoting it. A screening is happening here. Kids could get free toothbrushes and toothpaste, but the screening is really critical.”

Park Western Place Elementary teacher Matthew Wright highlights the importance of wellness for children. “I think it’s important for LAUSD to have this event, especially for our younger children who spend so much time in front of screens and watching TV or playing games,” Wright said. “Its great to see how Carvalho has created events like this where we emphasize wellness in our community.”

Celestine hopes the event raises public awareness of the resources they provide and that the funds they receive this year will support fire-affected individuals.

“We hope people have a really great time and learn about the resources available to support their physical and mental health needs,” Celestine said. “We’re also supporting our families who have been impacted by the fires in school communities. We haven’t forgotten about them, and we’re here to support. Funds we raise this year will support our staffing, which provides resources and services to those school communities.”