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Well over 200 people participated in Sunday’s "High Schools for Health" 5K run and walk in Shavano Park.
The event was sponsored by Basis San Antonio Shavano Charter School, along with UT Health San Antonio. This year’s theme “Run for Lungs, Run from Vapes” is aimed at underscoring the health risks of vaping.
High Schools for Health 3rd annual 5K run/walk in Shavano Park
— Jerry Clayton-Texas Public Radio (@jerryclayton.bsky.social) March 22, 2026 at 10:24 AM
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Shreya Madan is student organizer of the third annual "High Schools for Health" run.
“So I think it's important for student-led initiatives to encourage people to not start vaping, because coming from adults it can come across as preachy and from hearing the message from other students makes it seem a lot more relatable,” she told TPR.
Jennalynn Hunicutt teaches biology, anatomy and physiology at Basis Shavano. She said there is still more to learn about the potential health effects of vaping.
“It can cause a lot of long-term damage that we just haven't been able to study yet," she said.
"And so we're trying to get the word out for these guys to make sure that they understand the impacts they can have on their health and to discuss healthy alternatives.”
Dr. Holly Keyt is Director of the Lung Transplant Program at University Health Transplant Institute. She said many kids aren't aware of the health risks of vaping.
"I think vaping has become very popular because a lot of kids see it as maybe a safer alternative to smoking, and it's not really. The chemicals that are in vaping can cause really severe damage to the lungs and even people who have needed lung transplants because of vaping-related lung injury.”
BASIS San Antonio Shavano is a tuition-free public accelerated curriculum charter school serving grades 6–12.
