At our end-of-season 5K, there’s a moment I look for every time.
It’s when a girl who didn’t believe she could do it — who doubted, struggled, maybe even cried at practice — crosses that finish line.
And suddenly, her face lights up.
She realizes: I did something hard. I didn’t quit. I finished.
That moment is magic.
But it’s not the end of the story.
At Girls on the Run, the finish line is just the beginning.
This Is Bigger Than Running
Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared how girls today are struggling:
💔 Record rates of anxiety, sadness, and loneliness
💔 A decline in confidence starting as young as age 9
💔 A desperate need for safe spaces, trusted mentors, and belonging
Girls on the Run meets that need. But not just for 10 weeks.
What we’re really doing is teaching life skills they carry long after the season ends.
What Girls Take With Them
Here’s what they learn — and take with them into classrooms, friendships, and their future:
🌟 Confidence:
“I learned that I don’t have to change who I am for people to like me.”
🌟 Emotional strength:
“I noticed I was saying bad things about myself, and now I’ve stopped.”
🌟 Tools for tough days:
“I learned how to calm down when I’m angry instead of lashing out.”
🌟 Purpose and service:
“I learned how to be part of a team and help my community.”
This isn’t just nice-to-have — it’s protective, healing, and deeply impactful.
The Research Backs It Up
Our outcomes speak for themselves:
✅ 95% of girls say they feel more confident
✅ 97% say they learned critical life skills they use at home, school, and with friends
✅ 85% improve in caring, connection, character, and competence
These are the skills that help girls become leaders — not just someday, but right now.
💛 How You Can Help More Girls Cross Their Own Finish Line
We’re planning right now for fall 2025 — and we want to reach even more girls across our 7-county region.
Here’s how you can help:
✅ Donate to fund scholarships for girls who need a boost → www.gotrpiedmont.org/donate
✅ Become a coach — no running experience needed, just heart
✅ Start a team at your school, church, or neighborhood → www.gotrpiedmont.org/start-team
🌟 Girls Who Can Cross a Finish Line… Start to Believe They Can Do Anything.
Thank you for following along with our State of the Girl blog series this month.
Your support — whether it’s sharing a post, making a gift, or signing up to coach — is helping girls discover they are strong, capable, and full of potential.
Because in this world, every girl deserves a moment when she throws her arms in the air and says, “I did it.”
💛 And then… she keeps going.