The B-E 3rd-6th Grade Girls are on the Run
By Sydney Hoffman on April 26, 2018
The Bridgewater-Emery school has been hosting Girls on the Run for girls in grades third and fourth for the last several years. They have also been hosting Heart and Sole for girls in grades fifth and sixth. With the help of community members, parents, and teachers, the Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole program are continuing to help younger girls learn right from wrong, self-confidence, being joyful and how to be a good influence.
“I believe these programs are essential to our school because they create confident, motivated and caring girls. I believe the most rewarding part of coaching these programs is to see these girls’ self-confidence grow and accomplish something they never thought they could do such as the race,” coach Christena Schultz said.
Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization that works at bettering younger girls by teaching them to live to their full potential and pursue their dreams. The Girls on the Run’s motto is “We believe that every girl can embrace who she is, can define who she wants to be, can rise to any challenge, can change the world. Can.”
“I enjoy Girls on the Run because everybody is positive and nice. I am looking forward to the race in May to see what we have been working for and to have a good time with my friends,” third-grader Oakley Weber said.
The Heart and Sole program is almost identical to Girls on the Run except for the age group difference. The Heart and Sole program is part of the Girls on the Run program, just titled differently with a few different lessons. The lessons for the fifth and sixth graders focus more on teaching them how to balance their “girl wheel,” which is the brain, heart, social, body and spirit while in middle school.
“I enjoy doing Heart and Sole because I am able to run with my friends. The program also allows me to be more confident and positive about myself. I believe having this program at our school is impacting girls, especially in my class, to be better runners and to encourage each other even while running around town,” sixth-grader Kennedie Roskens said.
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth-grade girls meet twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, where certified coaches teach a curriculum. The curriculum includes the parts: understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the world at large. Along with teaching a curriculum, the girls must run a certain distance every time they meet.
“Having programs like these in our school are very beneficial because they teach the girls how to make healthy choices for their bodies as well as how to make good choices in being a friend. These programs help them to develop confidence, which a lot of girls at this age struggle with. I believe my favorite or most rewarding part of being a coach is watching the girls encourage one another to keep going when they are tired as well as watching them gain confidence in being able to do something they initially thought they couldn’t do,” coach Kristy Hofer said.
First, two coaches go over the curriculum with the girls for the day and do a little activity that goes along with the lesson. They get to eat a snack while listening to the lesson and finding ways to better themselves, their peers, and their community. After the lesson is taught, they go outside and run the distance given by the coaches for that day. The girls are asked to try their best while running, whether it be jogging or walking. The girls are training for a race held May 5th.
The race on May 5th is held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the Yankton Trail. The race begins in Falls Park and loops around through downtown Sioux Falls and back to Falls Park. The race is a 5k (3.2 miles) long and consists of slight hills. Once the girls are finished, they are given a medal for completing the race. They are also given a t-shirt for participating in the race which can be worn while running the race.
“I’m excited for the race because this is my first year, and I have never run it before. I think Girls on the Run is fun because I get to run with all of my friends,” third-grader Carissa Weber said.
Thank you to all the Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole coaches who help make an impact throughout the Bridgewater-Emery school and make these programs happen.
“I believe these programs are essential to our school because they create confident, motivated and caring girls. I believe the most rewarding part of coaching these programs is to see these girls’ self-confidence grow and accomplish something they never thought they could do such as the race,” coach Christena Schultz said.
Girls on the Run is a nonprofit organization that works at bettering younger girls by teaching them to live to their full potential and pursue their dreams. The Girls on the Run’s motto is “We believe that every girl can embrace who she is, can define who she wants to be, can rise to any challenge, can change the world. Can.”
“I enjoy Girls on the Run because everybody is positive and nice. I am looking forward to the race in May to see what we have been working for and to have a good time with my friends,” third-grader Oakley Weber said.
The Heart and Sole program is almost identical to Girls on the Run except for the age group difference. The Heart and Sole program is part of the Girls on the Run program, just titled differently with a few different lessons. The lessons for the fifth and sixth graders focus more on teaching them how to balance their “girl wheel,” which is the brain, heart, social, body and spirit while in middle school.
“I enjoy doing Heart and Sole because I am able to run with my friends. The program also allows me to be more confident and positive about myself. I believe having this program at our school is impacting girls, especially in my class, to be better runners and to encourage each other even while running around town,” sixth-grader Kennedie Roskens said.
The third, fourth, fifth and sixth-grade girls meet twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, where certified coaches teach a curriculum. The curriculum includes the parts: understanding ourselves, valuing relationships and teamwork and understanding how we connect with and shape the world at large. Along with teaching a curriculum, the girls must run a certain distance every time they meet.
“Having programs like these in our school are very beneficial because they teach the girls how to make healthy choices for their bodies as well as how to make good choices in being a friend. These programs help them to develop confidence, which a lot of girls at this age struggle with. I believe my favorite or most rewarding part of being a coach is watching the girls encourage one another to keep going when they are tired as well as watching them gain confidence in being able to do something they initially thought they couldn’t do,” coach Kristy Hofer said.
First, two coaches go over the curriculum with the girls for the day and do a little activity that goes along with the lesson. They get to eat a snack while listening to the lesson and finding ways to better themselves, their peers, and their community. After the lesson is taught, they go outside and run the distance given by the coaches for that day. The girls are asked to try their best while running, whether it be jogging or walking. The girls are training for a race held May 5th.
The race on May 5th is held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the Yankton Trail. The race begins in Falls Park and loops around through downtown Sioux Falls and back to Falls Park. The race is a 5k (3.2 miles) long and consists of slight hills. Once the girls are finished, they are given a medal for completing the race. They are also given a t-shirt for participating in the race which can be worn while running the race.
“I’m excited for the race because this is my first year, and I have never run it before. I think Girls on the Run is fun because I get to run with all of my friends,” third-grader Carissa Weber said.
Thank you to all the Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole coaches who help make an impact throughout the Bridgewater-Emery school and make these programs happen.
