What he did: Burkley won the Gerry Garza Invitational on Friday at Northwood University in Cedar Hill with a time of 17:30. He is the defending 11-5A district champion, and he placed 31st at the 2006 state meet.

Jodale Burkley

Who he is: A junior at Skyline.

He said it: On what motivates him to run: "I try to run so I can get a scholarship and have a better life for me and my family. When I feel like giving up, I think about how my family encourages me and how much they want me to make it in life."

Did you know? To prepare himself for this season, Burkley added vegetables to his diet in order to increase his oxygen flow, he said. ... He volunteers for Vision Outreach Ministries. ... Burkley, who has a high "B" average, is striving for a career in the medical field. ... His favorite musical artist is Lil Wayne.