A former Girl on the Run is giving back to an organization that she says gave her so much throughout her elementary school years.
Ashley Novreske, a senior at Columbus East High School, is creating an alumni wall to be displayed at Foundation for Youth to inspire girls in the running program.
Girls on the Run is an international organization with a mission to inspire girls around the globe to recognize their inner strength and increase their self-confidence. Trained coaches lead small teams through a research-based curricula which includes dynamic discussions, activities and running games.
Girls ages 8-12 from Columbus-area elementary schools meet with their team twice a week over a 10-week cycle and develop essential skills to help them navigate their worlds and establish a lifetime appreciation for health and fitness.
"The program motivates girls to be body positive and run to be active — not just for the exercise but to feel good about themselves," Novreske said.
Novreske joined her local Girls on the Run team in third grade as a way to keep her busy after school. What she gained in the organization was so much more than she expected.
"I grew up with a team that I got really close with, and our confidence grew together as we ran together," she said.
Nearly a decade later, and Novreske still runs today, now on the Columbus East’s girls cross country team.
Jen Morrill, a health teacher at Columbus Signature Academy – New Tech, approached Novreske about volunteering for Girls on the Run earlier this year. Morrill was Novreske’s Girls on the Run coach when Novreske was a participant.
The two worked together to find a way for Novreske to incorporate Girls on the Run into her senior project, a requirement for all Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. seniors in order to graduate.
That’s how Novreske got the idea for an alumni wall. The wall will display photos of Girls on the Run alumni with memories, blurbs about where alumni are now and whether they still run today. Novreske said the wall is aimed at inspiring girls who may currently be in the program or are on the fence about joining.
Girls on the Run ends its season with a 5K celebratory event on Dec. 7 in partnership with Trailblazers, a similar running program for boys ages 8-12.
Novreske is promoting the end of season Holiday Fun Run 5K to prospective volunteers who want to serve as coaches or running buddies. Running buddies are responsible adults, age 16 or older, who participate in the 5K alongside a participant. The adult may be a parent, guardian, family member, family friend or another adult deemed responsible by a child’s parent or guardian.
"I hope the girls take this program as a blessing to them because not every elementary-aged girl has this opportunity," Novreske said. "I hope it impacts them throughout life to continue running and lead a healthy lifestyle."
The inaugural season of Bartholomew County’s Girls on the Run had 12 girls. In 2019, the number of participants has grown to include 156 girls.
To learn more about ways to volunteer as a coach or running buddy, contact Foundation for Youth athletic director Ashley McDermott at [email protected] or 812-348-4558 Ext. 313.
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To learn more about ways to volunteer as a coach or running buddy for Girls on the Run, contact Foundation for Youth athletic director Ashley McDermott at [email protected] or 812-348-4558 Ext. 313.
Register as a running buddy for the Dec. 7 Holiday Fun Run at register1.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/incolumbus.wsc/search.html. Registration is $15. The proceeds from each running buddy registration provide scholarships for students to participate in the program.
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What: Holiday Fun Run 5K
When: Dec. 7 at 9 a.m. (Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.)
Where: Foundation for Youth, 405 Hope Ave.
Who: Open to the public
Why: To support Girls on the Run and Trailblazers, Foundation for Youth’s running programs
Cost: Registration fee – $25; Race day registration – $30
More information is available at foundationforyouth.com/calendar/view_event/208.
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