Over a period of 10
weeks, girls in the 3rd through 5th grade are invited to participate in a
program like no other. Designed to allow every girl to recognize her inner
strength, the Girls on the Run curriculum inspires girls to define their
lives on their own terms. Throughout the season, the girls make new friends,
build their confidence and celebrate all that makes them unique.
The Girls on the
Run lessons encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical
development. Participants explore and discuss their own beliefs around
experiences and challenges girls face at this age. They also develop
important strategies and skills to help them navigate life experiences,
starting with helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are
and what’s important to them. They explore the importance of team work,
healthy relationships and explore how they can positively connect with and
shape the world.
Physical activity
is woven into the program to inspire an appreciation of fitness and to build
habits that lead to a lifetime of health. At the end of each session, the
girls participate in a celebratory, non-competitive Girls on the Run 5K
event. Completing the 5K gives the girls a tangible understanding of the
confidence that comes through accomplishment as well as a framework for
setting and achieving life goals. Crossing the finish line is a defining
moment when the girls realize that even the seemingly impossible is
possible.
“Young girls face
social pressures and conflicting messages about how they should act and who
they should be,” says Ashley Hall, Healthy Living Director at the Duneland
YMCA. Studies show that in adolescence, girls' confidence drops about twice
as much as boys'. Friendships become more complicated and challenging,
girls' perception of their academic ability declines, the likelihood of
anxiety and depression increases and participation in physical activity
plummets. “It doesn’t have to be this way. We feel that offering this
program will help empower young girls to deal with life’s challenges in a
more positive way.”
For more
information, contact Ashley Hall, (219) 926-4204 or ahall@dunelandymca.org
The Duneland Y, at
215 Roosevelt St., Chesterton, has been serving the Duneland communities for
more than 50 years focusing on youth development, healthy living and social
responsibility.