Nov. 20, 2018 -- Dozens of students at Oxford and Boulevard elementary schools are Girls on the Run, equipped with newfound confidence and “star power” to boot.
Groups of third through fifth graders at both buildings spent 10 weeks this fall engaged in the Girls on the Run after school program. A national organization designed to introduce young female students to physical exercise, while building confidence and teaching them how to take care of themselves physically and emotionally, GotR has programs in many Heights elementary schools, some of which take place in the spring.
At Boulevard, 26 students participated in the program that met twice each week under the guidance of staff members Karen Allen, Katherine Sferry, Marissa Griesmar, Betsy Race, Julie Walker, Karla Morson and Cindy Baldauf, all of whom sought to motivate the girls to make positive choices for their minds and bodies. Twenty-two of the girls completed the Girls on the Run 5K at Mayfield High School on November 11.
At Oxford, 15 girls participated in the program, which was organized by teachers Alexia Boyles, Jazmin Monroe, Michelle Bee, Lynne Gaines, and Rebecca McCalligan. Ten of them completed the 5K race, including one 3rd grader who ran alongside her older sister, a Girls on the Run alumna.
According to Ms. Boyles, a 3rd grade teacher, the Oxford girls "gained problem solving skills, team camaraderie, and confidence in their ability to set and meet a goal." They also learned positive self-talk, which is called "star power" in the GotR curriculum. The teachers hope they'll use their star power on the track, trail and throughout their lives.
