Girls on the Run® is a life-changing, non-profit program for girls in the 3rd through 8th grade. Our mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
The 16-lesson 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 decisions. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued to serve girls in a variety of ways including fully in-person, socially-distanced teams meeting outside, on virtual platforms and in hybrid formats. All of this is accomplished through an active collaboration with girls and their parents and guardians, schools, volunteers, staff, and the community.
Meeting twice a week in small teams of 6-15 girls, we teach life skills through dynamic, conversation-based lessons and running games. The curriculum is taught by certified Girls on the Run volunteer coaches and includes three parts: understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the world at large.
Running is used to inspire and motivate girls, encourage lifelong health and fitness, and build confidence through accomplishment. At each season's conclusion, the girls and their running buddies complete the celebratory Girls on the Run 5K. Completing a 5K gives the girls a tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.
Girls on the Run (GOTR) Greater Boston is an independent nonprofit organization affiliated with Girls on the Run International, which has over 200 chapters across the United States and has served over 2 million girls in its 25-year history with its proven model. Girls on the Run Greater Boston started running programs in 2010, was incorporated in 2013, and has grown rapidly ever since. To date, we have served over 6,000 girls in greater Boston. Funds raised through the Boston Marathon Official Charity Program enable us to provide financial assistance to ensure that every interested girl is able to participate in our programs, regardless of their family's ability to pay.