The E.L. Haynes Elementary School Girls on the Run program has been helping girls in grades 3 – 5 navigate life experiences for the last decade. The national non-profit organization trains coaches to lead students in activities that marry fitness with social-emotional and behavioral skills. At the end of the season, students complete a community 5k race to celebrate the power of self-efficacy and friendship.
The E.L. Haynes Graduate Profile defines the characteristics of an E.L. Haynes graduate, highlighting social intelligence and perseverance as some of the qualities we strive to see students taking into the broader world. Girls on the Run is just one way for students to tap into those characteristics while also learning important life skills. The program encourages girls and gives them the skills to practice accepting challenges and setting goals that are right for them. “Coaches and friends help me push past challenges by talking about our star power,” said fourth grader Zymeah P. “We’re all here together, so if you make a mistake, all your peers are here to help you and make you feel included.”
“Coaches and friends help me push past challenges by talking about our star power. We’re all here together, so if you make a mistake, all your peers are here to help you and make you feel included.”
Zymeah P., 4th Grade
Regina D’Alessandro, 2nd grade Multilingual Learner (MLL) teacher and this season’s Girls on the Run head coach, revels in the space for girls to open up about friendship, self-esteem, and peer pressure. Getting to know students more personally, Ms. D’Alessandro gets to “see each girl’s personality shine as they explain their experiences or give helpful advice” to one another.
The Girls on the Run celebratory 5k will be held on May 18 in Anacostia, capping off a season of determination and fun. Bringing together coaches, students, and their families, the 5k is an event that the runners work toward all season, preparing both emotionally and physically. Amelia C, an honorary second grade runner, learned to “breathe through your nose, not your mouth” among many other things. Rachel Heitin, Elementary Math Coach, and Melissa Ayala, Elementary and Middle School MLL Specialist, also coach and appreciate seeing girls accomplish what seems at first to be a daunting task.
For Arsema A., a fourth grader in her fourth season with Girls on the Run, the biggest lesson has been learning to “put others first by caring for other people.” Ms. D’Alessandro, Ms. Heitin, and Ms. Ayala look forward to the 5k as a time for the team to reflect on their personal growth. “It will be a powerful experience for the students to reminisce about how hard they thought this program was going to be, only to point out the leaps and bounds they accomplished throughout the season,” said Ms. D’Alessandro.
Fourth-grade runner Jonyce B. sums up Girls on the Run’s focus on perseverance and social intelligence: “The compliments and the way coaches talk to us makes us feel joyful about ourselves, and we know it’s about having fun and pushing yourself and each other.”
Written by Alana Canterbury | Alana is an elementary reading intervention teacher, Haynes parent, and Editorial Fellow. When she’s not rounding up kids for a reading session, you can find her with her nose in a book.
Editorial Fellows are E.L. Haynes staff with a penchant for storytelling, writing, and the visual arts. Fellows develop and publish original stories that amplify the many voices and perspectives of the E.L. Haynes community.