HAVERHILL — They can walk, they can hop skip or jump, or they can run at any speed they wish. For members of Haverhill’s four Girls on the Run clubs, the goal is to finish a 5K they will be participating in on June 1 at Suffolk Downs.
Through this international girl empowerment program, trained coaches inspire girls to build confidence through interactive lessons and physical activities. The girls also learn about goal-setting, life skills, self-worth, teamwork, leadership and about giving back to their community.
The program launched last fall at the Consentino Middle School and has since expanded to Discovery Club sites at Silver Hill, Tilton and Bradford elementary schools.
“We started at the Consentino after a new student inquired about it last summer as it was offered at her previous school,” said Krista Lamontagne, assistant director of the district’s after-school Discovery Club program. Lamontagne also oversees the Girls on the Run program. “Principal Richard Poor emailed us to see if we could organize a program and we ran with the idea,” she said.
Girls on the Run is a Discovery Club enrichment program. Haverhill’s Discovery Club/Access 21 program is funded by state and federal grants and is in operation in five elementary schools, three middle schools and at Haverhill High School.
Consentino’s Girls on the Run “Heart and Sole” team is led by Discovery Club coaches Kerianne Spadaro, a grade-five math teacher; Nicole Duquette, a reading interventionist, and Nisrine Safi, an at-risk liaison.
Last fall 15 girls at the Consentino were able to prepare for the region’s Girls on the Run non-competitive 5K held Nov. 18 at Suffolk Downs. They along with girls in the other Girls on the Run programs in the city will be participating in the June 1 event. These non-competitive, fun events are intended to give girls a tangible sense of accomplishment.
Each girl must choose a person who is age 16 or older as their “running buddy.”
As Consentino’s team warmed up in preparation for one recent running practice, they talked about how much they like being part of Girls on the Run.
“I like this program ... we get to express our feelings,” said fifth grader Jailiya Pimentel, who chose Nisrine Safi’s daughter Marisa Safi to be her running buddy.
For fifth grader Aryanna Tellier, the June 1 event will be her first. She picked Coach Safi to be her running buddy.
“They teach us to pace ourselves and to drink more water,” Aryanna said. “And when we meet we talk about the need to express ourselves. We can’t just sit there and not say anything.”
Genesis Aguasvivas, an eighth grader, said she’s learning a lot about improving her health and gaining confidence in herself.
“I get a lot of excitement out of running,” she said. “I’ll either be jogging or running alongside my mother.”
Adriana Davis, a sixth grader, said her confidence in her abilities has been boosted.
“My motivation and determination has been boosted as well,” she said, adding that her uncle is going to be her running buddy.
Kate Yenrick, director of engagement and communications for the Greater Boston Council of Girls on the Run said the Greater Boston Council covers eight counties, including Essex County. The Boston Council is one of three Girls on the Run councils in Massachusetts.
“About 2,260 girls are expected to participate in the June 1 event and for many of them it will be the first time being part of a team and completing a 5K distance,” Yenrick said, noting the number will likely reach about 5,000 if you include their running buddies. She said 150 teams from Eastern Massachusetts will be taking part.
Girls on the Run is open to girls in grades 3 and 4 at the Tilton, Silver Hill and Bradford Elementary, and girls in grades 5-8 at the Consentino.
“We help them develop confidence in themselves and create a sense of belonging while recognizing our different strengths and emotions, and we talk about relationships and challenges that arise at each age,” Yenrick said. “And there’s a community service aspect where they give back to their communities.”
Lamontagne said when the Consentino girls meet after school the Discovery Club provides them with a nutritious snack before they do their homework then delve into the Girls on the Run curriculum.
“Then they transition into running in a goal-driven way where they are encouraged to skip, walk or jog at their happy pace in preparation for the June 1 event,” she said. “Right now we have 21 girls in Consentino’s Girls on the Run program and a total of 50 girls in the four schools.”
Lamontagne said the program is providing transportation to Suffolk Downs.
“We tell families from the start that the 5K is a goal of the program and it’s something the girls compete in, no matter their pace,” she said, adding that teams from Lawrence, Methuen and Andover/North Andover are going to Suffolk Downs as well.
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