10
Years
44
Counties
77
Sites
3800
Girls
IT'S MORE THAN A RUNNING GROUP.
Through engaging lessons, physical activity, and supportive mentorship, the program equips girls with the tools they need to navigate challenges, build positive relationships, and believe in themselves.
We're 10 Years
Strong!
What began as a small effort to empower young girls has evolved into a regional program that is helping hundreds of participants build confidence, develop healthy habits, and realize their potential.
Inspiring Confidence. Igniting Potential.
Propelling Girls Forward
Small Steps Add Up >>
Turning Small Steps into Big Impact
What started as a small initiative has expanded to communities across the region.
Since Our Humble Beginnings >>
The Power to Change the World Begins Here
We have the potential to change the world today, right here in our communities. Girls on the Run is making a difference and growing a culture where it's not about the competition but every girl is realizing her limitless potential.
THE STARTING LINE
As Girls on the Run International celebrates three decades of impact, the organization reflects on a remarkable journey that began with a single team and a bold idea.
Today, it has grown into a national movement that has empowered more than 2.7 million girls to recognize their strengths, trust their voice, and thrive in school, at home, and in their communities. Guided by its mission to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident,
Girls on the Run uses a research- and science-based curriculum that blends physical activity with life skills development. This proven approach helps girls build confidence, strengthen relationships, and develop the tools they need to navigate challenges and reach their full potential.
5C's + 1
Girls on the Run empowers girls in third through eighth grades to become joyful, healthy, and confident. Trained coaches guide the girls through Girls on the Run's 5 C's + 1 model: confidence, care, character, connections, competence, and contribution.
Each lesson is intentional, and all the Girls on the Run sites use the same, evidence-based, proven training curriculum. Participants start with a healthy snack and then learn a skill or technique, like taking a moment before responding to a negative situation. Through a team-based project, girls collaborate to identify a community need, develop a solution, and carry out a project that creates a positive impact in their community.
The Most Rewarding Thing I've Done >
THE FINISH LINE
The GOTR 5K is a culmination of lessons learned throughout the season.
At the end of each fall and spring season, girls participate in a celebratory, non-competitive 5K. While the 5K is the program’s milestone, the finish line is only the beginning—it represents the first step in each girl’s journey toward greater confidence, resilience, and belief in her own potential.
Throughout the season, girls learn how to set a challenging goal and break it into manageable steps, discovering that small efforts can lead to big accomplishments. For many third graders, running a 5K once seemed unimaginable. By the end of the program, they arrive at the starting line prepared, proud, and ready to cross a finish line that symbolizes just how much they are capable of achieving.
This Organization Changes Lives >>
A Sister Story:
Ashlyn & Harper
Finding friendship, confidence and leadership through Girls on the Run
When Ashlyn Sheeley first joined Girls on the Run as a third grader, her motivation was simple: bracelets and medals.
“I would run a bunch of laps to collect the bracelets,” she recalled with a laugh. But as the miles added up, so did the lessons.
“I learned leadership and made new friends,” Ashlyn said. “I joined with some of my friends, but I met girls outside of my group too, and that was really special.”
Now a high school junior, Ashlyn looks back at her time with GOTR as a foundation for friendships and confidence that extend far beyond the running track.
Her mom, Courtney Sheeley, encouraged Ashlyn and her younger daughter, Harper, to join the program.
“As a working mom, I liked that it gave them something active and positive to do after school,” she said. “I also loved the life skills they were learning. The curriculum is amazing—it builds self-esteem. With all the negative influences on social media, I knew GOTR would be a healthy, beneficial experience for them.”
Harper joined as a fifth grader, and even though she was the oldest in her group, she quickly embraced the opportunity to mentor the younger participants. One of her favorite memories is being a buddy to Lana Mason, a GOTR participant with Down syndrome, as she ran the 5K. “I kept telling her pink pancakes were waiting at the finish line. She was motivated by the pancakes.”
Both sisters agree that GOTR had a lasting impact. “The goal setting was something new for me,” Ashlyn explained. “We did some goals at school, but GOTR helped me understand why reaching those goals really matters.”
Courtney added that the program's structure was a significant benefit for her family. “I think one of the great things about GOTR is that it’s just 10 weeks. It’s not a year-long commitment, but it still makes a huge difference. The girls learned life skills that I know will help them for years to come—and it gave them opportunities they might not have had otherwise.”
How It Works
Girls on the Runs focuses on empowering girls in grades 3-8. Guided by trained coaches in a supportive environment, the GOTR program helps participants become joyful, healthy, and confident!
Ready to Step Into Her Future >>
Growing the Future
Understanding and exploring the data and the economic impact of Girls on the Run - South Georgia
A report by the U.S. Surgeon General and U.S. Public Health recognized Girls on the Run for its
strong link in providing a physical activity-based program.
97%
of participants learned critical life skills, including resolving conflict, helping others, or making
intentional decisions
(U.S. Surgeon General & U.S. Public Health)
85%
reported improvements in confidence, caring, competence, character development, or
connection to others
(U.S. Surgeon General & U.S. Public Health)
52%
of workers in South Georgia are women
X
Every girl empowered by GOTR creates a multiplier effect - impacting peers, families, workplaces, and communities
Not Just About Running >>
Building a Workforce Pipeline
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Today, 52% of workers in South Georgia are women
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The skills taught through Girls on the Run builds confidence, which leads to an effective and efficient workforce.
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Girls on the Run impacts the social and emotional learning skills required in the workforce.
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Strong, confident, supportive girls who are capable of intentional decisions can set and achieve goals will break the cycle of systemic challenges that impact women
Breaking Barriers,
Growing Futures
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When girls are confident, they are more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem, which can have a positive effect on mental health and overall well-being.
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Every girl empowered by GOTR creates a multiplier effect—impacting peers, families, workplaces, and communities.
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Confident, caring girls become future mentors, innovators, and civic leaders.
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Together, they strengthen the social fabric and economic resilience of South Georgia.
