Champaign school to honor late teacher -- on the run

May 3—CHAMPAIGN — A local elementary school plans to hold a mini-marathon today as a way to encourage physical fitness while honoring a late educator.

Westview Elementary's 2K/5K Run Walk Roll, scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m., is dedicated to former kindergarten teacher Jean Breeze, who died in April 2023. It is being sponsored by the Breeze family and First Federal Bank, said Jennifer Setser, a multilingual-language-learner educator at the school.

Breeze "was connected with our community and school, and she was always a supporter of lifelong learning," Setser said.

There is no cost to participate, and the event is open to anyone. There will be entertainment by DJ Silkee and refreshments from Kona Ice following the 2K/5K.

Setser said P.E. teacher and head organizer Rebecca Green had been interested in holding a 2K/5K to mirror the Illinois Marathon and encourage kids to be active. They intend to make it an annual event.

"It just coincided with the death of a retired teacher, so after we had planned the event, then we were like, 'We should do it in her honor, the first time,'" Setser said. "So then we connected with her family after that, and they were happy to be a part of it."

Breeze, who died at age 78, was a kindergarten teacher in the Champaign school district for over 35 years. She spent most of her career at Westview, which she attended growing up.

Over the years, her community involvement included leadership roles with the National Education Association, the Champaign County Retired Teachers Association and the local chapter of the Read Across America program.