One of the founders of Students Run Los Angeles (SRLA) was terminated from his position on the first day of the 2026 school year, leaving many leaders within the program stunned.
The news that Paul Trapani, the program director, would no longer be involved in SRLA came from Gaby Arvizu, the president and CEO, in an email sent on Aug. 12 to leaders throughout the LA Unified School District (LAUSD).
“I’m reaching out to share an important update regarding the SRLA team. Paul will be leaving his role with Students Run LA, effective today,” Arvizu said. “As a founder of Students Run LA, Paul has played an important role in creating and shaping the organization we know today. For more than three decades, his vision, dedication and belief in the potential of young people have been an important part of SRLA’s history and growth.
“We recognize that some of you have worked closely with Paul and may have questions about this transition,” she continued. “At this time, our focus is on ensuring continuity for our students, leaders and programs as we move forward.”
Many SRLA leaders were shocked by the sudden announcement and reached out to Trapani, who replied in a message that he did not “leave” his position.
“I simply want to clarify that I did not resign or choose to leave SRLA,” Trapani wrote. “My employment was terminated by Gaby Arvizu … and the SRLA Board of Directors.”
As of press time, a reason for Trapani’s firing has not been explained. His photo still appears on the SRLA website, listing him as the program director.
A message from SRLA Board Chair Michael Curry was sent Aug. 15, saying, “First and foremost, because this is a confidential personnel matter, there are details about the circumstances and professional guidance that we simply cannot share. We recognize that this may leave some questions unanswered publicly, but respecting the privacy of the involved parties is both appropriate and necessary, as would be the case for any personnel matter.”
He added that any suggestion that this decision was based on a specific issue or person was “inaccurate.”
History of SRLA
Trapani founded SRLA alongside teachers Harry Shabazian and Eric Spears. The idea of training students to participate in the annual LA Marathon originated in 1986 with Shabazian, a continuation high school teacher in Boyle Heights.
Although his students were negatively labeled and viewed as underachievers at risk of dropping out of school, each one who participated not only completed the Marathon, but graduated high school and went to college.
Two years later, Trapani and Spears, both teachers at John R. Wooden Continuation High School in Reseda, joined Shabazian and organized a run with their students, experiencing similar results. The following year, SRLA would be officially established as a program.
Shabazian later retired from teaching but continued to volunteer for SRLA, while Spears is a member of the Board of Directors.
Today, thousands of middle and high school students from 200 schools in the greater LA area have participated in SRLA, which provides free mentoring and marathon training. Each year, approximately 3,000 LAUSD students and coaches train for months for the annual event, and at least 95% make it across the finish line.
But students don’t just build up endurance – they learn how to be more confident in themselves and their abilities. For many, it’s their first time running in a marathon, and the challenge can be daunting. But once they complete it, they feel a sense of pride in their accomplishment, and they look forward to joining SRLA again the following year.
Nathan Campos, who participated in SRLA in his four years at San Fernando High School, previously told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol, “When I first started [SRLA], I had some sense of confidence, but after [participating] I was even more open to try new things. I like challenging myself, both physically and mentally.”
An emergency SRLA Board meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 19. The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol will report on the outcome when more information becomes available.