Girls on the Run Launches New Curriculum to Meet the Needs of Today's Girls
April 30 2024 - 11:31AM
Girls on the Run International (GOTRI), a nationally
recognized nonprofit that empowers young girls, has launched its
new research-based curriculum intentionally designed to meet the
needs of today's girls. Entitled Hello, Superstar!, the innovative
curriculum helps girls build the confidence to be themselves
through meaningful and engaging lessons and activities that keep
them moving.
"Since 1996, we have been on a mission to empower girls to
activate their limitless potential and boldly pursue their dreams,"
said Dr. Allison Riley, chief program officer of Girls on the Run
International. "With the launch of Hello, Superstar!, we are
delivering on that commitment with lessons uniquely designed to
support this generation of girls who must navigate an increasingly
complex world. We’ve refreshed our program to not only help girls
face today’s pressures but to be joyful, healthy, and
confident.”
As the only physical activity-based, positive youth development
program for girls in the United States with a research-based
curriculum, trained coaches, and a commitment to serving all girls,
Girls on the Run provides tools and teaches skills to enhance
girls' physical, social, and emotional health. Numerous studies and
reports have shown the decline in girls' mental health and physical
activity levels over the last decade. In February 2023, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention reported that three in
five U.S. teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, the
highest level reported in at least a decade. According to the
CDC, only 24% of 6- to 17-year-olds participate in at least 60
minutes of physical activity every day.
“Despite these statistics, Girls on the Run offers a bright spot
for girls,” added Riley. In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr.
Vivek Murthy released a report about the vital connection
between physical activity and mental health. In it, Dr. Murthy
singled out Girls on the Run as a successful program for girls to
learn life skills through engaging activities and lessons.
"Girls on the Run fulfills girls’ needs in a pivotal time of
their development and creates an environment where every
participant feels accepted and has the potential to shine,” said
Senior Director of Program Development Katarina Corda, who oversaw
the curriculum development. “Based on our research on what matters
to coaches, girls, and families today, we created lessons to help
participants get active, make friends, understand emotions, resolve
conflicts, celebrate differences, embrace what makes us shine in
our own way, and more.”
To shape the curriculum, the GOTRI programming team sought
feedback from more than 2,000 participants, coaches, and caregivers
from across the country. They also partnered with additional
external experts in inclusion and positive youth development who
reviewed the lessons at every stage of development.
Hello, Superstar! is the first of a three-part suite of
curricula. The two additional curriculum versions are set to roll
out over the next 18 months. The second version focuses on the
confidence to do hard things, and the third is currently in
development. These themes around confidence allow for a unique
experience each season while reinforcing core Girls on the Run
lessons on self-talk, emotions, communication, empathy, friendship,
and teamwork through different lenses. The series encourages repeat
participation, allowing for deeper learning and reinforcing the
lessons’ long-term positive impact.
About Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run International (GOTRI) creates and offers
after-school empowerment programs designed for 3rd- to 8th-grade
girls. The national nonprofit helps participants recognize their
inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine
their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and
others through the innovative integration of fun physical
activities, life-skills lessons, and impactful community projects.
The research-based curriculum led by trained volunteer coaches
explores core topics relevant to 8- to 13-year-old girls, including
understanding emotions, fostering friendships, expressing empathy,
and standing up for themselves. The coaches create a sense of
belonging for all participants, and the curriculum helps meet the
vital needs of girls today. The program culminates in a community
impact project and a celebratory 5K. Since it was founded in 1996,
this national movement has served more than 2.25 million girls in
all 50 states and Canada. Learn more at
girlsontherun.org.
- Girls on the Run 'Hello, Superstar!' Photo 1
- Girls on the Run 'Hello, Superstar!' Photo 2
Kelly McGuire
Girls on the Run International
3305023043
kmcguire@girlsontherun.org