‘Girls On The Run’ at Ridge-Brook Elementary School is empowering girls to become confident leaders and helping them embrace positive mental and physical health.
Leah Walden, Ridge-Brook Elementary School Dean of Students, said that this is a completely new program to the school for third and fourth grade girls.
“Girls On The Run is a program I did not have experience with prior to this year but have heard many great things about,” she shared. “Another coach and I started gathering additional information and thought it would be a powerful program for our third and fourth grade girls. I reached out to Assistant Superintendent, Tiffany Stropko, who was 100% on board with piloting it at Ridge-Brook. She really ran with it from there and made it happen at Ridge-Brook.”
The program is built on research-based curriculum that focuses on the whole girl. Students participate in lessons on important social-emotional topics, such as how they can support others and how others support them. In addition, there is a physical aspect to the program with a culminating 5k run that was just held this past Saturday, May 14, 2022 in Akron.
The plan is to have this program offered at all Elementary buildings in the future.
“We hope that the girls have a better understanding of themselves, understand the value of relationship and teamwork, and recognize how they can shape the world at large,” Walden expressed.