Perseverance, the act of doing something despite difficulty or delay, is a word many people become familiar with throughout their lives. However, few will know perseverance quite like, senior, Jenna Griffin does. Griffin was born with Cerebral Palsy, a disorder that affects the control of her movements, coordination, and speech. Yet she has refused to let anything stop her from achieving what she sets her mind to.

Griffin recently participated in the Quad Cities Marathon 5K and was able to cross the finish line by herself. Although she began training for the 5K in the summer, Griffin has really been training for much longer. A year ago when she met her physical therapist, Katie Powers, she was able to take around 15 steps but is now able to take over 400.

Living with cerebral palsy means Griffin has to work twice as hard as other runners, so completing a 5K was a big deal for her. Griffin said, “It was amazing because I never knew if I would be able to accomplish something like that.”

The Quad Cities marathon is a big event and was attended by many people making it even more special for her. Griffin said her favorite part of the marathon was, “Seeing how many people were out there watching.” Included in the crowd was her mom who was proudly cheering her on the whole way.

Griffin truly embodies perseverance in everything she does, and everyone can learn something from her. Cassie Brown, junior, said, “What Jenna has accomplished is really amazing, it shows us all that no matter what we face in life if we can do anything we set our minds to.” Griffin inspires so many people by living her life to the fullest despite her obstacles.

It is important that individuals recognize others for being inspiring and encourage them to keep going. Students that see Griffin in the hallways should congratulate her for her great accomplishment and thank her for being an inspiration to all.