On Nov. 15, Girls on the Run held its fall 5K on and around State High’s South Track. An event that celebrates more than running. For many girls in State College, it’s a chance to find confidence and support and learn skills they will carry into their middle school years and beyond.

Girls on the Run is a national non-profit organization for girls in third through fifth grade that focuses on goal-setting, emotional health, teamwork and physical strength.

 According to the organization, 97% of participants learn real-life skills, 94% of parents say the program is valuable and 96% of schools plan to offer it again. Local coaches say they see that impact every day. 

Fifth-grade teacher Amy Wilson helped bring the program to Corl Street Elementary after coaching for the program at a different district. 

“I wanted to bring it to State College. We started with two schools, then five, and now we’re up to eight, including the middle school,” Wilson said.

Wilson says the program teaches more than running.

“We all have different happy paces … finding your power within and feeling confident and strong as a young woman,” she said. 

Practices include snacks, journaling, stretching, games and laps where girls talk through real-life scenarios. Wilson explained that the most important thing is trust.

“Sometimes we just talk about their weekend … letting them know there are trusted adults they can always come to,” Wilson said.

She’s seen girls who normally avoid sports join intramural track later in the year, and the girls who are shy start speaking up. Wilson says one of her favorite parts is the community project. This year, the girls donated food and goodie bags to the Out of the Cold shelter. 

“It’s fulfilling seeing them get excited about helping others,” Wilson said.

Penn State Biomedical Engineering major Sarah Gleba coaches through her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, and she was once a Girls on the Run girl herself.

“I see my role as being a mentor … just a good role model,” Gleba said.

Gleba says the girls truly embrace the idea of finding their “happy pace.” Her favorite part is seeing them grow each day. 

“Some start the season less confident, and they end it believing in themselves,” Gleba said.

She shared one moment that has stuck with her: a girl who usually struggles with motivation encouraging another girl during a practice 5K.

“It means a lot…even though she struggles herself, she encourages someone else,” Gleba said.

Another coach, Lauren, an elementary education major at Penn State, says the girls’ age makes this program especially meaningful.

“This is a very impressionable age… It’s easy for young girls to feel forgotten or insecure,” she said.

She explained that watching the quieter girls open up has been one of the best parts: “I’ve seen them get chatty, more confident… It’s really cool to see.”

She says her favorite memory is the practice 5K, where many girls realized they were capable of more than they thought.

All three coaches shared the same message: Girls on the Run creates a space where girls feel safe, supported, seen and strong. The program teaches resilience, kindness and confidence, important lessons they will use long after the 5K is over. 

“They are strong and powerful… and if they set their mind to things, they can accomplish them,” Wilson said.

From only two schools in the district participating to now eight, the program keeps growing. Families, coaches, and students all see the difference it makes every day.