In the long run, message of friendship is the goal of this Kansas City area group

Completing a 10k run is sure to empower any young woman.

Helping girls reach that goal, along with focusing on a message of friendship, is the aim of the Kansas City-area organization Girls on the Run.

“Giving girls an opportunity to process their emotions in a healthy way and knowing their coach is a trusted adult who cares about their well-being — we’re creating this really beautiful, safe space for them to investigate their inner self and their inner dialogue and how they work with the world,” said Gina Lichte, president and CEO of the non-profit, which empowers girls to run a 5k.

The group has two divisions: one for those in grades three through five and another for grades six to eight. When it’s in session, the girls typically meet twice a week for eight weeks. There’s also a weeklong day camp option available for the younger group.

Although running is important — the final part of the program is a 5k run — the group’s activities and lessons are really the primary component of Girls on the Run. Activities tend to mix the two sides by incorporating physical movement into discussions about nutrition or peer pressure.

“You run, but you do activities when you run, like getting-to-know-each-other activities. When you ran, you would ask (the other girls) a question about themselves,” said Natalie Lona, 11.

Before the pandemic, about 5,000 participants a year in the metro area participated. It costs $165 per girl for each session, but scholarships are available for those who need help with the fee.

About 2,000 volunteers lead groups throughout the metro, but they get training from Girls on the Run as well as a pre-planned curriculum. That training includes CPR and first aid.

Many of the groups meet at schools, but some are at community centers or even local parks. Natalie didn’t have a group at Academie Lafayette, where she goes to school, but her mom found a welcoming group for her in Merriam.

“They were great coaches. They only had her two to three weeks (before COVID shut things down), but they still reached out to us when the fall season happened, even though we live in Missouri, and they’re Kansas,” said Alonda Lona.

Raymore resident and elementary school teacher Elise Schnarr coached her now 12-year-old daughter’s group, and that experience has given her a special bond with her daughter.

“It was neat to see her grow as a leader with her friends and see the different creativity that they would all come up with. I love (the curriculum) as a parent and as a teacher. I think it gives us a chance to have some difficult conversations with girls and see their input on it,” Schnarr said.

She was so impressed that she’s continued to coach and gotten her 9-year-old involved, too.

“It broadens their horizons on some problems that might be happening in our building beyond their immediate friend group and how to problem-solve those. I like how it teaches the girls how to be inclusive and helpful to everybody, even if they’re not in their immediate circle,” Schnarr said. “I felt like the girls left with more friends than they started with.”

Shawnee resident Crystal Lumpkins also saw her daughter Shaddiah bloom as a result of participating in Girls on the Run.

“She is an introvert, and she has evolved being in Girls on the Run. I have seen her grow in her confidence. I’ve seen her grow her friend circle,” Lumpkins said.

Like Schnarr, Lumpkins has coached a group.

“It allows me not only to be a part of the something that she’s in, but it helped me to be part of a community of mentors,” she said. “It felt like, ‘You are very included. We are doing what we can to make you feel included.’”

To adapt to the pandemic, this fall Girls on the Run offered a virtual option as well as outdoor, distanced options. The virtual connection still incorporated physical movement, encouraging girls to get up and move throughout the session.

Normally their ending 5k goes through Swope Park and has about 5,000 people present. With pandemic restrictions, that hasn’t happened for a year, but girls were able to run their own 5k’s individually.

To find a Girls on the Run group, visit gotrkc.org. Depending on the group, spring practices start somewhere between March 15 and March 29.

This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 12:00 AM with the headline "In the long run, message of friendship is the goal of this Kansas City area group."