You Can Change The Lives Of Girls In Our Community!
For Principal Jennifer Offord, spring is always an action-packed time of the year at her school. As the weather begins to warm after a cold Canadian winter, students are eager to spend more time outdoors running and playing with their friends.
So, when Charles H Hulse Public School was offered the opportunity to be a part of the first spring session of Girls on the Run, she knew they had to accept.
“We’re always mindful that we need to create conditions for students to excel in ways that we might not have noticed otherwise – whether in the classroom or schoolyard”, explains Jennifer. “You don’t know the extent of a child’s abilities until you give them a chance to explore them. Thanks to this unique opportunity, so many of our girls blossomed and came out of their shells. Without the program, we may not have seen this otherwise.”
What Jennifer witnessed was some of the students who struggled the most benefiting greatly from the program, which was a tremendous inspiration and very rewarding. “Imagine the tenacity and drive it takes for these girls to commit and successfully complete the program and reach their goals. Girls on the Run Ottawa is allowing these students to shine. Not just for them, but for their families and the other students around them”. Kids define themselves in different ways, and Girls on the Run has given these girls a new identity based on leadership, friendships, and teamwork.
In reality, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14, with a sharp decrease between grades six and eight. In Canada, 1 in 4 girls has indicated that they are not committed to returning to sport post-pandemic.
What if, YOU had the ability to help change this?
Girls on the Run Ottawa brings together girls of all abilities and inspires them to recognize and embrace their inner strength and make meaningful connections with others. The program empowers girls to build healthy physical and mental habits that last long beyond the program.
As Jennifer describes it best: “This program is part of something bigger. This is the model of how things need to run, specifically targeting the population that needs it the most. It can be replicated, but the program requires adults who are highly committed to providing the mentorship and coaching necessary to ensure that the girls succeed.”
Will you commit to changing the life of one girl?
Your $150 donation will provide one deserving girl with the opportunity to experience the power of sports. You can take pride in knowing the big impact you’re creating in our community by providing equitable access to sports for females.
Together, we can provide the girls in Ottawa with the opportunity to thrive – unlocking their power and potential. With your gift, you will be helping to remove the barriers to accessing this truly transformational program.