WASHINGTON — Step by step, thousands of kids from every ward in D.C. are crossing the finish line for Girls on the Run. These girls have been training all fall to come together at Anacostia Park.
"We have been doing some stretches, activity, and a lot of running of course," said Ella Nushi, a 4th grader at Hyde-Addison Elementary School.
"I feel like I've made a lot of new friends, and it’s been a great experience," said Anna Karmon, also in 4th grade at Hyde-Addison in Georgetown.
And it's not just physical training: Girls on the Run also teaches life skills.
The D.C. chapter was founded in 2006, and now more than 2,200 girls from across the city join their school teams, alongside hundreds of coaches and volunteers who support them.
"We’ve grown from a small group of 13 girls to serving 22,000 girls, 2,200 annually, it’s a phenomenal program that encourages girls to be their best," said executive director Devoria Armstead.
"I feel better about myself because I also made some friends, some new friends that I never met before," said London Dawson, a 5th grader. She says it is not just about making friends, but how to be a friend: "Like what do you want from a friend, do you give things to a friend, do you give kindness, do you give trustworthy and honesty."
At least, 97 percent of girls who complete the Girls on the Run program report they feel they can be themselves there, and that they learn critical skills like resolving conflict and making intentional decisions: skills they’ll take with them on every path they take.