GIRLS ON THE RUN OF ST LOUIS

The Girls on the Run curriculum, through its content and structure, will have significant positive effects on the following:
1. Physical activity: frequency, intensity, and duration
2. Psychological well-being: body image, self-esteem, and intrinsic motivation
3. Social assets: positive adult and peer relationships, and resistance to peer pressure to engage in risky behaviors
4. Health-promoting behaviors and outcomes

Building off of these goals, Girls on the Run St. Louis has several stated program objectives as well:
1. Two-thirds of participants will improve their attitude toward healthy behaviors, self-awareness, self-confidence, and emotion management.
2. Two-thirds will improve understanding of life skills to include conflict resolution, goal-setting, managing emotions, leadership, cooperation, listening, and managing bullies.
3. Two-thirds will have a measurable improvement in understanding the value of teamwork, respect, and the importance of contributing to the community.

The Girls on the Run program, the ONLY physical activity-based, positive youth development program in the St. Louis region, is delivered each fall (September-November) and spring (February-May) season at over 400 participating school and community sites. Program participants are in third to eighth grade and come from a variety of public, private, parochial, charter and independent schools across the twenty-three county footprint.

At each site, girls and volunteer coaches meet twice weekly, for a minimum of one hour and fifteen minutes per session, over the course of a ten-week season. The fun, evidence-based curriculum focuses on healthy decision-making, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork and goal-setting, while creatively integrating running and other physical activity. Each lesson is divided into activities with specific functions to enhance the learning process, and is structured as follows:

1) Getting on Board and Warm-Up Activity: This is usually a short game to get the girls' cardio-respiratory systems warmed up and to focus them on the day's topic.
2) Processing and Stretching: Typically a Q&A about the topic to help the girls apply it to their lives.
3) Workout: Utilizes a personal and/or team goal to keep physical activity fun.
4) Processing and Cool-down: Review and discussion of the day's lesson.
5) Wrap-up: Closes with positive words from the coaches about individual and group behaviors.

At the end of the program, the girls participate in a 5k running event in Downtown St. Louis as the culminating achievement of the previous ten weeks. Each girl sets a personal goal regarding the 5k and participates with a running buddy, who may be a coach, community volunteer or an adult family member. The bi-annual 5k event is open to the general public, and is currently the largest timed 5k race in Missouri and the tenth largest in the United States.

Girls on the Run St. Louis recognizes the importance of collaboration among like-minded partners that share our commitment to improving girls' social, emotional, and physical health. We work with various community organizations such as hospitals, recreation centers, public school districts, private schools, YMCAs, YWCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, health departments, and universities to implement Girls on the Run within the community. The organization partners with over 400 elementary and middle schools, and community sites across the twenty-three county footprint to host the program. We are invited into communities each season and work with district and school leadership to ensure the qualified people and proper resources are in place to have a successful season. Each team also has a dedicated site liaison and at least two volunteer coaches who tend to be teachers, school staff, program parents and/or trained community members.

Girls on the Run continues to seek a balance of contributed income sources through corporate sponsorships, special events, individual and group contributions and foundation and corporate grants. We also currently have Youth Opportunity Program tax credits from the state of Missouri, which incentivizes both individual and corporate giving. In order to serve families throughout the diverse twenty-three county footprint, Girls on the Run St. Louis offers site-based fees on a sliding scale (ranging from $25 to $175) in addition to need-based scholarships and payment plans for families not able to cover the cost of registration. This program model of collecting registration fees from participants that are able to pay for the program in full while balancing financial aid for girls with demonstrated financial need is one that sets our organization up for long-term financial sustainability and has been proven to be successful in doing so nationwide.

Data from 2019 indicates that Girls on the Run St. Louis has continued to meet - and exceed - our stated program objectives, indicating consistency of long-term measurable outcomes:

1. 95% of participants improved their attitude towards healthy behaviors, self-awareness, self-confidence, and emotion self-management.
2. 97% of participants improved their understanding of life skills, including conflict resolution, goal-setting, managing emotions, leadership cooperation, listening, and managing bullies.
3. 97% of participants had a measurable improvement in understanding the value of teamwork, respect, and the importance of contributing to the community at large.