Special to the Enquirer
 

Girls on the Run North Alabama will be expanding into Morgan and Limestone counties early next year.  

An afterschool program serving girls in grades third through eighth, Girls on the Run is a research-proven development program that teaches girls important life skills like emotional regulation, being confident in oneself, maintaining friendships and more.  

Lauren Lee is the Executive Director of Girls on the Run North Alabama, and says the organization is looking forward to serving even more girls in North Alabama.  

“We are thrilled to be reaching even more participants with our life-changing programs. Independent research has shown the impact that our programs have on our participants, and we are excited to be offering them to girls in Morgan and Limestone counties,” Lee said.  

Throughout the course of 10-weeks, participants in Girls on the Run’s two programs, Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole, train for a 5k while learning critical life skills. At the end of the 10 weeks, participants enjoy a celebratory 5k that’s a culmination of all their hard work.  

“These are things that I wish I had as a child,” Lee added. “Imagine a you that’s uninhibited by self-doubt and negative thoughts – you’d be unstoppable. The skills these girls learn during our programming not only impacts them, but their friends, peers, family and community as a whole.” 

Girls on the Run programming can be held at schools, community centers or trails. Each team is led by a trained volunteer coach that guides the participants through research-proven curriculum. Lee says the lessons taught by Girls on the Run curriculum is essential in today’s climate.  

“With the current mental health crisis faced by today’s youth, girls are in need of our programming more than ever. There’s a clear link between physical and emotional health, and a recent report from the Surgeon General even included Girls on the Run as an example of a potential solution to the youth mental health crisis. Today’s youth deserve to feel healthy and confident, and we’re thrilled to be part of that journey,” she said.  

Girls on the Run North Alabama is now seeking site applications for the upcoming Spring 2024 season. Girls on the Run programming serves elementary school students in grades third through fifth while Heart and Sole serves middle school students in grades sixth through eighth grades.  

“We look forward to welcoming new sites and students to our programs in the coming season. Girls on the Run programming is for all girls and we can’t wait to see even more students unleash their limitless potential,” Lee said.  

Site registration can be completed at gotrnorthal.org. Questions can be directed to Lee at lauren.lee@girlsontherun.org.