Edgewood Elementary starts first Girls on the Run chapter in Black Belt

Edgewood Elementary started a partnership with Girls on the Run last month to implement an afterschool program geared toward wellness and social/emotional support.

It is the first chapter formed in the Black Belt and has 15 members who will race in a 5K with other chapters on April 30 in Montgomery.

Girls on the Run is a fun, effective, and inclusive afterschool program designed to enhance girls’ social, emotional, and physical skills and behaviors to successfully navigate life experiences. Participants increase their self-confidence, develop healthy relationships, and feel good about themselves, inside and out. The 10-week program drives transformative, sustained change in the lives of third- to fifth-grade girls across all 50 states.

“Edgewood is elated to have the first Girls on the Run chapter in this area of the Black Belt,” EDW Principal Dr. Margaret Jones edit. “I serve as an EDW Girls on the Run Coach, along with first grade teacher, Mr. Thomas. The girls are having fun and are also becoming mentally and physically fit! Our phenomenal coaches from GotR are Coach Jennifer and Coach Kelly. They are extremely motivating and make the program exciting! As a shared with one of the participants who was pondering on joining, "No, you do not have to run the entire 5K, the goal is for you to finish!"

Edgewood’s Girls on the Run group meets every Monday and Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. Currently, 15 girls are participating in GotR, and the culminating activity is a 5K that will take place on April 30 in Montgomery.