Get to know more about just a few of the talented leaders serving our Empowering Children partner, Girls on the Run! Colleen Kelly Howard and Gillian Byerly are executive directors at GOTR Philadelphia and GOTR of Midstate Pennsylvania, respectively, where they have a great vantage point into the work and impact of the national nonprofit.

Girls on the Run is a recognized leader in positive youth development. Its physical activity-based programming creatively integrates running and reaches girls at a critical stage, strengthening their confidence at a time when society begins to tell them they can’t. Each year GOTR serves almost 200,000 girls, and its powerful curriculum inspires and empowers girls to build healthy physical and mental habits that last long beyond the program.

According to a longitudinal study conducted by the University of Minnesota, 97% of Girls on the Run participants said they learn critical life skills including resolving conflict, helping others or making intentional decisions; and 94% of parents said it was a valuable experience for their girls. The study also reported a 40% increase in physical activity levels among girls who were least active at the start of the season.

So, what do Girls on the Run leaders have to say about their programming? Here’s what Colleen and Gillian said when we reached out to them.

How does GOTR impact girls during a critical phase in their lives?

Now more than ever girls are faced with messages that test their sense of self-worth and confidence…Girls on the Run gives girls the tools to counter external forces that tell them that they need to act a certain way, dress in certain clothes or cultivate a following that generates thousands of “likes.”

Most importantly, it gives girls a foundation to develop their identity based on their own values, on being a good friend, on giving back to the community and on standing up for what they believe in. Giving them this skill while they are developing their sense of identity is transformational.

How can we support girls during this challenging time in history?

Girls in Philadelphia are facing much more than the typical coming-of-age challenges. Poverty, systemic inequities and an extraordinarily high incidence of gun violence have added to the isolation and trauma experienced by elementary and middle school girls over the past three years. For girls in our community, Girls on the Run is a safe haven, both from the dangers they face in the outside world and for processing their exposure to those dangers.

Since our council launched its first season in the spring of 2013, we have been committed to serving every girl who wishes to participate in the program. We have been able to fulfill this commitment for 10 years and will continue to fulfill it as we enter our next decade. Ensuring we can provide programming for everyone, including the most vulnerable girls in our city, is the best way for us to support girls during this challenging time.

What positive impact do adult volunteers take away from their GOTR experiences?

Prior to joining our council as executive director I served as a GOTR coach. I enjoyed running and am the parent of three girls to whom I wanted to impart my love of running. By the end of the first week, I realized that the program was going to do so much more than teach my GOTR girl to run.

Participating in the lessons alongside the girls taught me so much about myself. I know that the confidence I gained over the course of the season was instrumental in giving me the confidence to apply for the executive director job!

How does GOTR’s work help create a more equitable world?

At GOTR, I think we capture the invincibility girls feel up to about age 9 and help transform self-doubt into confidence by providing opportunities to build skills and connections. It is where feeling connected and accessing a robust toolkit of skills intersect that confidence grows, and girls see beyond limited expectations to visualize themselves as leaders.

By centering their GOTR experience around compassion, kindness and empathy, we develop leaders who recognize the power of their voice to advocate for themselves and others and will shape a more equitable future for us all.

What is a GOTR memory that will stick with you forever?

Watching GOTR girl Mel, who has Down Syndrome, finish her 5K. Mel was the last girl on the course and turned into the straightaway with a large group of spirit runners wearing pink silk capes ringing cowbells and cheering encouragement.

When the PA state police cadets, who were volunteering at the finish line to start tearing down after the event saw Mel, they ran down to join the cheer squad and escort her across the finish line and took a group photo.