| Last updated on March 7, 2008 |
The mission of Girls on the Run is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.
Description:
Girls on the Run is a life-changing learning and fitness program that aims to help girls embrace their strength and courage and hold on to it as they enter middle school and adulthood. The curriculum combines uplifting running workouts with self-esteem boosting and educational discussions, games and activities.
History:
Girls on the Run is a national not-for-profit organization with over 130 chapters across the nation.
The program was founded in 1996 by Molly Barker, a four time Ironman triathlete. Molly holds a masters in Social Work and is a former high school teacher, track coach and counselor who has worked with women suffering from eating disorders, substance abuse and depression. She started Girls on the Run as a preventative program for girls to help them develop the skills to lead a healthy life.
Jeanne Higgins, inspired by the programs mission, spent a year volunteering with the Bellingham chapter of Girls on the Run, and then started Girls on the Run of Puget Sound in the spring of 2002. The pilot program was held at the Seattle Girls' School and the first community based program was held shortly after at Meadowbook Community Center.
Girls on the Run of Puget Sound currently serves about 150 girls per year in five Seattle neighborhoods.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (206) 524-5526
Address:
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P.O. Box 15817
Seattle, WA 98115 |
Web Site: http://www.girlsrun.org
Directions:
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Our programs are based at Seattle Parks and local schools. Please visit our website for current program locations. |
Miscellaneous Information
| Liability |
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Yes
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| Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers? |
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No
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| Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18? |
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Yes
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Volunteer Reflections
Post Your Own!
Overall Experience 
There is nothing more rewarding than empowering future generations of confident, self-respecting and powerful young women!
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As a volunteer for Girls on the Run, I was given the opportunity to empower a future generation of capable, self-respecting and powerful women. By encouraging girls to experience themselves in ways outside the traditional realms of femininity, Girls on the Run volunteers arm program participants with the tools necessary for navigating through the twists and turns of adolescence. Through the combination of empowering curriculum and the physical challenge of running, Girls on the Run forces girls to experience rather than view their bodies, an ability that will undeniably shape the way that they approach life's challenges. There is no doubt that this program produces confident, competent, and healthy young women, who will continue to flourish even outside the confines of the program sessions themselves as a result of the strong foundation created for them through their experience with Girls on the Run. I can't think of anything more enjoyable or rewarding than encouraging young girls to strive for nothing less than their fullest potential...this has been an incredible volunteer experience!
posted by Jamie_G on January 21, 2003 |
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