By Paddy Easton Graves
Girls On The Run is a fantastic, life-changing, non-profit program for girls in the 3rd through 8th grade. It all began in 1996 by a woman named Molly Barker, who had a dream of starting a positive development program for young girls. At the first meeting there were just thirteen brave girls, and GOTR has now grown to over two hundred locations in all fifty states!
The ten-week Girls on the Run curriculum combines training for a 5K running event with lessons that inspire girls to “become independent thinkers, enhance their problem solving skills, and make healthy life choices.”
GOTR is led by certified Girls On The Run coaches with lessons that include: understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork, and understanding how we can connect with and interact with our community. GOTR makes a difference – it teaches young girls to empower themselves, make responsible choices, embrace their differences, find strength in their connectedness, lead with positive and open hearts, and stand up for themselves and others. GOTR is committed to creating a reality where every girl can express her limitless potential and be free to boldly pursue her dreams!
The Mar Vista Elementary School GOTR Team led by coaches Shana Gambero, Paddy Easton Graves, and Jessica Wilkens met with the girls twice a week for ten weeks, with each lesson including insightful games, relays, discussions about building confidence, health, life issues, a community service project, and each season ends with an exciting 5K race at Vasona Park in Los Gatos!
For the community service project this year the team planted an apple tree — donated by Hidden Gardens Nursery in Aptos — in front of the Mar Vista School library.
Being a GOTR coach has been life changing for me. I gained amazing life-lessons right along with the participants, and many of these I learned from witnessing these brilliant, strong-willed, and unbelievably energetic, free spirits express themselves!
These amazing girls showed me what it looks like when you show up as yourself – what better way to learn important life lessons than through running and having FUN!!
The GOTR 5K was held Saturday May 14 at Vasona Park in Los Gatos where Ninety schools were represented!
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For further information and to get involved, please go to: www.girlsontherun.org
