Girls on the Run develop life skills

CAMP PENDLETON – San Onofre School, in the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District, participated for the first time in Girls on the Run (GOTR), a 10-week curriculum program. GOTR is a positive youth development program inspiring third through fifth grade girls to keep moving forward.

The experience-based curriculum creatively integrates running, allowing students to be joyful, healthy, and confident, through lessons based on identity, connectedness, keeping healthy, and empowerment.

Coaches Jeannine Huffman, Joy Beidel, Lindsay Cato, Andrea James, and Jessica Greeley encouraged and inspired 13 girls twice a week. The participants were Meredith Blair, Hannah Brown, Cassidy Buchanan, Rianna Carmichael, Caleigh Coldwell, MaryRobert Greeley, Kiera Henry, Lexi Lutz, Melanie Montalvo, Samantha Peterson, Elizabeth Ramella, Lily Shirley, and Kendall Taylor – all military dependent students.

According to the GOTR association, their desire is for the girls to develop life skills such as confidence, competence, caring, connection, character and community contribution by the end of the 10 weeks.

As part of the program, the teams choose a philanthropic activity to give back to the community. This team worked together and chose the Senior Center in San Clemente as their Community Impact Project. They made handmade ornaments and Christmas cards for the elderly.

The team, coaches, and running buddies participated in an end of season 5K Event at Liberty Station with all the San Diego County teams. San Onofre School looks forward to continuing this great program in the spring and is excited to initiate Heart and Sole, a GOTR program, to empower the girls in grades 6-8 this spring.