Alongside 6 of our teachers, Melanie Buenning, Abbey Zwieg, Autumn Reiger, Ashley Gabrus, Marissa Tsicouris, and Tamar Tenenbaum, 10 SJA students participated in the Girls on the Run Fall 5K that took place Sunday, December 3 at Miller Park. Over a ten week period the students have followed a curriculum that has emphasized the Girls on the Run core values.

Strive to:
Recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making.
Embrace our differences and find strength in our connectedness.
Express joy, optimism and gratitude through out words, thoughts and actions.
Nurture our physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Lead with an open heart and assume positive intent.
Stand up for ourselves and others.

The Girls on the Run curriculum is designed to allow every girl to recognize her inner strength and inspires the girls to define their lives on their own terms.  Throughout the season, the girls make new friends, build their confidence and celebrate all that makes them unique.  The teachers/mentors start with helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and what is important to them.  After they work on an individual basis, the girls learn the importance of team work and healthy relationships.

Physical activity is woven into the 10 week program to begin building habits that lead to a lifetime of health.  At the end of the program, the girls participate in a Girls on the Run 5K event.  This Fall’s event was held at Miller Park and was a celebratory, non-competitive event that culminates the experience of the curriculum.  When they crossed the finish line, our girls were able to realize that even the seemingly impossible is possible.