Girls on the Run (GOTR) Greater Boston’s registration for the spring season is now open. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires girls in third through eighth grade to be joyful, healthy and confident. It is more than a running program.
“We are incredibly excited to be launching our largest season ever, with over 1,000 local girls slated to participate,” says Olivia Mathews, the Executive Director of GOTR Greater Boston. “Having heard from school administrators that Girls on the Run was truly needed for girls over the past two years due to the isolation of the pandemic, it is urgent that we reach out and engage girls who may be reluctant to join and allow then to experience the transformational benefits of being part of a GOTR team.”
Girls on the Run Greater Boston has inspired girls in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Plymouth counties for 11 years and has impacted the lives of 8,500 local girls. This season, Girls on the Run will be offered at over 75 diverse locations throughout the area. The life-changing program has research-based lessons that use dynamic discussions and fun running games to teach life skills. The season will culminate with a 5K event on Saturday June 11th in Medford, Massachusetts, that brings together family, friends and community members to celebrate the girls’ growth throughout the season.
The Spring 2022 season will start the week of March 27th for most teams and the twice weekly meetings are generally held after school and outdoors, often led by a school’s own teachers and community volunteers. A program fee includes an individual girl kit with a team shirt, water bottle, cinch bag, practice materials and an activity journal. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. More information about the program, locations and registration can be found on the Girls on the Run of Greater Boston website at girlsontherunboston.org Girls on the Run Greater Boston is an independent nonprofit organization affiliated with Girls on the Run International, which has nearly 200 chapters across the United States and has served over 2 million girls in its 26-year history. Over the course of the program, girls in 3rd-8th grade develop social, emotional and physical skills to successfully navigate life experiences. The program culminates with girls positively impacting their communities through a service project and being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5K event. Girls on the Run is included as a top research-based program in a Social-Emotional Learning Guide developed by researchers at Harvard University and has been recognized by the National Afterschool Association (NAA) as one of the most influential after-school programs.