By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
They meet for an hour, two days a week.
Yet Roosevelt School’s Girls on the Run program has fifth-grade girls racing to sign up for the 10-week program.
Since starting the program four years ago, it’s expanded to a two-coach program so girls aren’t turned away because of the student-to-coach ratio, Angele Palmer, Roosevelt School’s nurse and the program’s assistant coach said.
Though Girls on the Run is a national program, the Somerset County Youth Services Commission and the Manville Youth Services Commission support local version of the program.
”I think the reasons girls are drawn to this program are because the goals are designed to foster many positive qualities needed at a time when self-esteem in adolescence is critical,” Ms. Palmer said. “.. . Girls on the Run provides a safe place for girls to challenge themselves in a positive environment with positive role models.”
Sessions incorporate three components a discussion, a warm-up running game, and the workout. Discussion topics include values, healthy choices, bullying, and other topics. The girls can run, jog or walk during the workout part of the session, Ms. Palmer said.
”The Girls on the Run program goals are for each girl to have a stronger sense of identity, learn the advantages of peer group support, learn to stand up for herself in a healthy manner, have an improved body image, understand her place in her community and learn to completely a 5K run/walk event,” Ms. Palmer said.
This year, the 5K run/walk event will be held in June, with Girls on Track clubs from throughout the county participating. According to Ms. Palmer, the first Girls on the Run race, held in 2004, drew just 300 total participants. Last year, close to 1,000 girls participated in the race, including 24 from Roosevelt School.
”This experience demonstrates what they can accomplish if they put their minds to it and simply try,” Ms. Palmer said.

