Girls on the Run - DC

Girls on the Run – DC is a character development program for girls in 3rd – 8th grade in all eight wards of DC and Prince George's County that teaches social, emotional and physical well-being using a research-based curriculum. Our trained adult volunteer coaches provide hands-on mentoring to teams of 8-15 girls at local sites across all 8 Wards of DC and in Prince George’s County, imparting lessons on relevant topics while helping the girls set individual goals as they prepare for a season-culminating 5K running event. Puberty and early adolescence are challenging transitions for girls; girls will confront issues like peer pressure, bullying and body image (to name a few), but with the right tools they can cultivate the self-confidence and competence that leads to good decision-making and avoiding risky behaviors in the long run. Girls on the Run – DC offers a curriculum designed to provide girls these life skills and is committed to ensuring that as many girls as possible have access to our program. We deliver on that promise by doing all that we can to remove economic and/or geographic barriers. DC’s children and youth face disproportionately high rates of at-risk conditions, with child poverty, childhood obesity and teen pregnancy that are at or near the highest in the nation. Also, body image issues among girls escalates quickly in elementary school and by middle school, 70 percent of girls are dissatisfied with two or more parts of their body. DC girls from low-income neighborhoods have few options for programs focused on either fitness/healthy living or mentor-based character education programs. GOTR-DC offers both in one program. 18,000 girls' lives changed since 2006 www.gotrdc.org