Girls on the Run 5K celebrates empowerment

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Hundreds of young girls and their supporters gathered at Yeatman’s Cove Saturday to run the 19th annual Girls on the Run 5K.

The event itself wasn’t just about running. The race is part of an empowerment program for girls aged eight to 13 that teaches them life skills while helping them build self-confidence. Participants celebrate their accomplishments with the annual running event.

“We’re reaching girls at a critical age where they’re getting messages about who they are, who they shouldn’t be, what they could be what they couldn’t be and we’re here to tell them that they can,” said Annie Horn, Executive Director Girls On The Run Greater Cincinnati.

Horn says their mission is to help tweens in that eight to 14 age range build their self-esteem during their seasonal program which focuses on helping girls set goals while also recognizing their unique strengths.

Data released earlier this year by the CDC showed that teenage girls are experiencing record-high levels of sadness.

“We are here for them. We have adapted our curriculum to meet their needs post-pandemic,” Horn said.

This 10-week program also helps train these girls to complete a 5k which happened Saturday morning at Yeatman’s Cove.

Horn says more than 900 girls, 400 volunteer coaches, and 2000 community partners were at the run all rooting for these young girls.

“It’s a great experience,” said Andrea Sauceda, 10.

The parents of the participants thought so too.

“I’m just very proud of her of you know pushing herself to do this it just makes me happy to see her happy,” said Andreas’s mother, Yazmin.

Before the race, participants were creating tiaras at a Fun Zone craft table to emphasize that everyone is a queen today.

Organizers said that every participant received a medal after their race because everyone was a winner.

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