General Information
Objectives
The objective of Girls on the Run® is to educate and
empower girls at an early age in order to prevent the display of
at-risk activities in the future. At risk activities include
substance/alcohol use, eating disorders, early onset of sexual
activity, sedentary lifestyle, depression, suicide attempts and
confrontations with the juvenile justice system.
The Program
Girls on the Run® is a 501(c)3 positive youth development program
which combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire
self-respect and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls. Our core
curriculum addresses many aspects of girls' development - their
physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. Lessons provide
girls with the tools to make positive decisions and to avoid risky
adolescent behaviors.
Vision
- To provide life-changing, high quality programs for girls
- To provide life-changing and high quality experiences to the
women developing and delivering the programs
- To promote and provide an environment that allows girls and
women to reach their full potential
- To positively transform how girls and women perceive themselves
and their place in society
Our Core Values
Girls on the Run® honors its core values:
- We live our lives with gratitude
- We are honest
- We maintain balance in our lives
- We are tobacco and drug-free
- We seek the positive in life's challenges
- We live outside the "Girl Box"
- We are open-minded
- We positively assert ourselves
- We make our best effort always
- We live with intention in the present
- We strive to improve our self-awareness
Demographics
- Girls on the Run® program: girls in 3rd-5th grade and their
families
- Girls on Track® program: girls in 6th-8th grade and their
families
- Program Facilitators: coaches, volunteers, women of all ages
and their families
Girls On Track®
Girls on the Run® is the name of our organization, but we have two
programs:
- Girls on the Run® -- for 3rd-5th graders
- Girls on Track® -- for 6th-8th graders
The psychological research and principal philosophy behind both
programs is the same, yet the depth of processing varies in order
to be age appropriate. The Girls on Track® middle school curriculum
allows for more mature processing around certain topics including
eating disorders, internet safety, cyber bullying and tobacco and
alcohol use.
National Recognition for Girls on the
Run®
Featured on CNN, NBC, ESPN, Real Simple, I-Village Live and in the
following national publications: Shape Magazine, O, People, Better
Homes & Gardens, Runner's World, Fitness Magazine, Running
Times, Cooking Light, Walking, Parent, American Girl, Healthy Kids,
Glamour, Women's Day, Redbook, Southern Living and extensive local
media throughout the United States.
Program Design
- Three 20-lesson curriculums teach life skills through group
processing, running games and workouts. The three-part curriculum
is taught by certified Girls on the Run® coaches and includes
understanding ourselves, valuing teamwork and understanding how we
connect with and shape the world at large.
- Girls choose and conduct a community service project
- At each season's conclusion, the girls complete a 5k running
event as a group
Additional Details
- The programs run two times per year. Fall (September to
December) and Spring (February to May)
- Practices are held two days (non-consecutive) per week for 1 ½
hours after school
- The sessions are usually after-school, but can be offered
before school hours, in the evening and also on weekends
- Certified Girls on the Run® coaches (women 18-60+) teach the
program (There are at least two coaches for each team)
- All of our coaches complete a GOTR training program and are
provided with a very well developed, well-researched curriculum
that has been used successfully by GOTR many times throughout the
country
View a sample lesson here.
Molly Barker, M.S.W., founder of Girls on the Run®, developed
the curricula based upon her professional experience, her research
in the field of adolescent issues, and her interactions with real,
live girls. The first curriculum was partly based on the research
of Mario Fantini and Gerald Weinstein (Regaining Excellence in
Education, Merrill, 1986) and on the work of Mary Pipher (Reviving
Ophelia) and Carol Gilligan (Meeting at the Crossroads). Fantini
and Weinstein found that adolescents' greatest issues fell into
three categories: lack of identity; lack of connectedness; and lack
of voice in their lives. The Girls on the Run® curricula
specifically addresses these issues. This original curriculum was
later revised to address Molly's and other coaches' experiences of
delivering the programs.
Research Supporting Girls on the Run®
Curriculum
Research shows a "statistically significant" improvement in body
image, eating attitudes and self-esteem of the girls who
participate in this program according to research conducted by Dr.
Rita DeBate, PhD, MPH, CHES, Professor at the University of
Florida, Tampa.
In spring 2002, Girls on the Run International contracted with Dr.
DeBate to develop an evaluation tool entitled "Girls on the Run: An
Assessment of Self-Esteem, Body Image and Eating Attitudes." This
evaluation tool was piloted at several sites across the country.
Prior to running this pilot, Dr. DeBate identified a dilemma when
reviewing the academic research in the area of girls and sports. On
the one hand, girls involved in athletics have higher self-esteem
and engage in fewer risky behaviors and on the other hand, girls
who are highly competitive in sports where slim body images are
admired have higher incidences of eating disorders. Dr. DeBate
believes that the Girls on the Run® curricula may solve this
dilemma in addition to decreasing the numbers of girls with body
image disturbances and low self-esteem.
