Community

Girls on the Run of Greater Richmond: All Girls Are Winners

Girls on the Run of Greater Richmond: All Girls Are Winners

Catherine Estevez is the program director & acting executive director of Girls on the Run of Greater Richmond. Photo by Frank Aikens. 


“Raising a generation of strong, confident, empowered women.”

Girls on the Run of Greater Richmond provides a healthy and inclusive space for girls in the 3rd to 8th grade to be themselves and develop the social and emotional skills needed to navigate through life. Founded in 2013, Girls on the Run acknowledges the link between physical and emotional health. “Girls’ self-esteem peaks at age nine and decreases throughout adolescence at 3.5 times the rate of boys,” program director & acting executive director Catherine Estevez explains. “Half of all girls experience some kind of bullying such as exclusion or name-calling at a stage when peer relationships are so important. We reach girls at a critical stage, strengthening their confidence at a time when society begins to tell them they can’t.” Girl on the Run’s 8-week program ends with a community impact project and a 5k run. The organization has impacted over 1,700 girls. 


Girls on the Run of Greater Richmond provides a safe space for girls in the 3rd to 8th grade to develop the social and emotional skills needed to navigate through life. Photos courtesy of Girls on the Run International.


Because of the pandemic, Girls on the Run had to convert to mostly virtual programming; however, they have maintained some in-person and hybrid programming safely and effectively. “The past two years have presented many obstacles, but raising a generation of strong, confident, empowered women was never canceled,” Catherine says. 


Girl’s on the Run of Greater Richmond has impacted over 1,700 girls. 


To be more inclusive, Girls on the Run will pilot a new registration process in the spring. They will automatically reduce the fee for students attending Title 1 schools or participating in free and reduced meal programs. They also will use a sliding scale based on household income to help meet the needs of as many young women as possible. “Nearly half of participants receive some form of financial assistance to participate in Girls on the Run,” Catherine says. “We never want to turn a girl away.” Girls on the Run’s spring season starts on March 7 and ends on May 14 at the City Stadium with their annual 5K. “All participants receive a race bib with the number 1, along with a medal when they cross the finish line,” Catherine says. Because at Girls on the Run, all girls are winners. 


Girl on the Run’s 8-week program ends with a community impact project and a 5k run. 


To learn more about how you can support Girls on the Run, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Apply here to Girl on the Run’s Spring Program. Apply here to be a Girl on the Run’s Spring Coach.