More than one hundred pre-teen girls were headed for the finish line of an empowering experience on Saturday. It was actually a graduation ceremony disguised as a five-K run.
The 3rd-through-8th grade girls were participant in the spring Girls on the Run program, which culminated in a 5K run on the FSU campus. Girls on the Run Executive Director Ericka McKibbin was among the hundreds of people cheering on the runners.
“You can hear the cheers and it’s a day of celebration of girl power and the power of our community supporting girls,” she said as young participants came charging across the finish line near the Student Union.
One of the girls in the 10-week program was Ruby Williams.
“I guess it’s more than running, it’s also feeling good about yourself,” she said after the run. “It was a good experience overall.
Ruby's dad was with her every step of the way, including Saturday's run.
“I think Girls on the Run is a great program that helps the girls, inspire confidence, and to be proud of who they are and be happy with the way they’re made, and to show that confidence in leadership. I think it comes out in all the girls who participate in the program.”
Girls on the Run now serves seven locations in Leon County with spring and fall programs.