Through interactive activities, running, playing games and discussing important issues, the program focuses on building self-esteem, improving emotional and physical health and teaching participants how to celebrate just being girls.

Girls on the Run meets after school twice per week with at least two Girls on the Run-certified women volunteers who serve as healthy role models.  Girls are taught specific life lessons such as dealing with body image and the media, resisting peer pressure and making healthy decisions with combined training for a 5K (3.1 miles).  At the end of the program, each girl completes a non-competitive 5K run/walk event.

During the 12-week program, girls are empowered with a greater self-awareness, a sense of achievement and a foundation in team building to help them become strong, contented and self-confident young women.

Our goal is to empower all girls to:

• Develop a strong sense of identity
• Give and receive support from a group
• Stand up for themselves in a healthy manner
• Have a healthy body image
• Understand the importance of their community
• Complete a 5K run/walk event

The girls meet for about an hour and a half twice a week for 12 weeks, for up to 24 lessons.  At the end of the season the girls have worked up to, and complete a community 5K event to celebrate their accomplishments throughout the season.  Upon completion of the program, the girls have learned lessons that apply to real life and have a set of “tools” to deal with peer pressure and other uncomfortable situations so they can live their lives according to their own values.