I volunteered to coach Girls on the Run at school this year.  I love its message of empowering girls and helping them be active and run!  Since I teach Kindergarten-2nd graders during the day, it’s also nice to meet more students as the girls on the team are in 3rd-5th grade.  The activities by the program are very cute, and I love watching the girls smile and be silly.  The lessons involve themes such as positive self-talk, reducing peer pressure, what beauty means, gaining confidence.  The girls will also develop and execute a service project over the next few weeks before running a 5k in June.

 

While we participate in the various activities each session, we also try to give the girls as much time to run around the block as possible.  It’s hard to stop them as time runs down when they keep saying “one more lap” and “I want to beat my goal” (they set lap goals for each day).  Some of the girls are determined running as much as possible.  Others are content walking, dancing, and doing cartwheels on the sidewalk!

 

Today included an inspirational moment.  As the girls finished their final lap, a couple started cheering the others coming in and holding their hands out for high fives.  You could tell it gave the runners that last burst of energy to finish strong.  Then they added to the line of cheerers.  As the last few ran in, they started chanting the name of the runner as well.  It was a great moment of watching the girls come together and truly support each other.  It truly is a testimony to building a community and girl power.