Girls on the Run: An Organization To Watch
Girls on the Run is an organization that is about teaching young girls how to be joyful, healthy, and confident. Girls on the Run is a national organization that has several bases in Milwaukee. The girls are in 3rd through 5th grade. The organization uses running as a tool throughout their ten-week program, which ends in a 5k for the girls and their families.
Tina Jones, the executive director of Girls on the Run in Greater Milwaukee area, says that their program is reaching girls at a pivotal point in their lives. “They are building their value systems at this age, which is so key,” Jones says. The 5k gives the girls something to work for and feel accomplished about. The environment provides the girls with good role models and a positive outlook for a healthy lifestyle.
Many of the coaches and volunteers have come from Marquette. This spring, Marquette will host a fundraising gala called “Girls on the Run Sneakers Soiree.” There will be a dinner, auction, and a speech by Bonnie St. John, a Paralympic African-American woman. This event is a great way to get involved in the organization. Because Marquette is already connected with Girls on the Run, we encourage you to look into volunteering or coaching. Being a positive role model for young girls is one of the best things a college woman can do. You never know what a difference it may make in a young girl’s future.