Girls on the Run
Johanna Ricon
Executive Director
Jennifer Berry
Sr Director at CIGNA and Girls on the Run Board Member
Johanna Rincon is the Executive Director of Girls on the Run Greater Hartford. She spent most of her career working with college students around issues of social justice and leadership. She is thrilled to be working with younger girls to make an important intervention and impact on their lives. Jennifer Berry is Infrastructure Engineer Senior Director at Cigna and also a board member of Girls on the Run Greater Hartford and chair of its Fund Development Committee. She is a lifelong resident of Simsbury and Cigna's executive sponsor for Women in Technology.
Girls on the Run started about 30 years ago. They have about 170 councils across the states and 1 in Canada. We have 1 chapter here in CT, which started in 2016. They are able to serve about 600 - 800 girls a year. There goal is to work on social/emotional learning for girls from 3rd to 8th grade. Young girls have a great deal of self-confidence, but in our culture we see that plummet around when they get to be around 9 or 10. So we are trying to make an intervention at this time. Running is the researched based model we use to intervene.
Founded in 1996, Girls on the Run International is a nonprofit that has served 2 million + girls across North America.
Today's girls are exposed to longstanding gender stereotypes, societal obstacles and cultural challenges that can be detrimental to their emotional and physical health. Our programs are about so much more than running – they make an impact at a critical age when confidence and physical activity decline.
Girls on the Run makes a stronger impact than organized sports and physical education programs in teaching life skills such as managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others and making intentional decisions. Girls on the Run is a leader in evidence-based girl-centered programming. Our tested curriculum, trained coaches and a commitment to serve all girls sets us apart. Results show Girls on the Run empowers girls to build healthy physical and mental habits that last long beyond the program.
Grades 3-5
Girls on the Run inspires girls of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths, while building a sense of connection in a team setting. Volunteer coaches facilitate lessons that blend physical activity with life skill development to enable girls to adapt to whatever comes their way. At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.
Grades 6-8
Our Heart & Sole middle school program meets the unique needs of girls of all abilities in 6th-8th grade. The program considers the whole person – body, brain, heart, spirit and social connection. Heart & Sole offers an inclusive place of belonging, where girls feel supported and inspired to explore their emotions, cultivate empathy and strengthen their physical and emotional health. At the end of the season, all program participants complete a 5K.
Independent Studies Show:
97%
of girls learned critical life skills including resolving conflict, helping others and making intentional decisions.
97%
of participants agree they can be themselves at Girls on the Run.
40%
increase in physical activity among girls who were least active at the program’s start.
Belonging occurs where inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) intersect. Since the inception of Girls on the Run in 1996, our goal has been to create a welcoming and safe space where participants can have a meaningful and engaging experience. When we say “all,” we mean participants of all intersecting social identities, including all races, ethnicities, income levels, sexual orientations, religions and those with and without disabilities. Girls on the Run has set itself apart by weaving inclusive practices throughout everything it does — from curriculum development and coach training to hiring processes and vendor selection.
Each season comes to an end with a celebratory 5K. This closing event gives program participants of all abilities a tangible sense of accomplishment. Crossing the finish line instills confidence through completion and is a joyful moment program participants always remember! Every child in our program receives a commemorative medal to celebrate this incredible achievement.
If you are interested in helping their web address, where your editor gleaned some of the information included in this newsletter, is: https://www.gotrgreaterhartford.org/
You can also contact Jennifer Berry who can be reached at jennifer.berry@cigna.com or on her cell at 860 930-5581
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