When you add the challenge of being low income to pre-teen social pressures, it can spell disaster for young girls.

To help the 4th and 5th grade girls at St. Joseph Academy be strong and confident, we’ve partnered with Girls on the Run (GOTR). GOTR is a nonprofit that builds strength and confidence through experience-based learning that integrates running.

“Last week, the girls had balloons that they wrote negative thoughts on and they punched and popped them as they ran,” said Lyn Hildenbrand, President and CEO of St. Joseph Academy and a strong believer in the program.

Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the St. Francis Fund, our students have the chance to take part in after-school programs like Girls on the Run. They help students gain skills, form friendships, and have fun.

Girls on the Run culminated with a 5K at Bayshore Town Center on June 5th. Over 1,000 girls from schools all over crossed the finish line together, with friends, family, and community members cheering them on!