BARTOW, Fla. — At 4:30 a.m., when most high schoolers are still asleep, three Bartow teens hit the pavement. Kirby Russell, Cooper Jenks, and Jeremiah Alex set out from Lakeland, taking on a half-marathon. Approximately 13.1 miles, all on foot.
“We actually took a little bit of a slower approach with it, because we all wanted to finish as a whole. We started as a group, and we wanted to end as a group,” Alex said.
Two hours later, at 6:30 a.m., the trio arrived at Bartow Senior High School. They were tired but energized by the message behind their run.
“I’m so tired, but I'm feeling good. I’m feeling good that I did it,” Jenks said.
Running a half-marathon was a way for these students to bring awareness to the need for improved public transportation in Polk County. Transportation barriers are a major challenge for low-income residents trying to get to work, school, or the grocery store.
“Public transportation in Polk County is lacking. We believe that the ability to use it is lacking. Most people believe that public transportation is poor, so we really want that to improve,” Russell said.
The idea came to Russell out of frustration when he wanted to get to the gym.
“A 15-minute drive to the gym would take me about two hours, and then it would cost more than something in a different state or a different county. We got in contact with Citrus Connection, too. Citrus Connection told us that they were lacking funding,” Russell said.
According to the 2023United Community Needs Assessment, 84% of Polk County residents agreed that public transportation is needed in their community.
“We want to improve funding for organizations like Citrus Connection. If we get Polk County lawmakers to act on that we hope that that will allow Citrus Connection to make necessary changes like expanding their routes, their hours, possibly having more buses,” Jenks said.
For these teens, the finish line wasn’t just at their high school, it’s in the hope that local leaders will take notice and take action.
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Rebecca Petit is dedicated to telling your stories from every corner of Polk County. She knows how growth has been a major discussion point for the area, and the impact it’s had on some of our most vulnerable populations. You can connect with Rebecca by using the form below.
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