5It’s a sunny day in Downtown Wichita. Hundreds of smiling faces gather around the Wichita Boathouse to cheer words of encouragement to young female runners as they cross the finish line. Some of them walk. Some of them run. Some of them frolic around with the excitement and joy that comes with experiencing something new. This is Girls on The Run, a running program designed to empower and encourage girls to embrace healthy lifestyles. Among those crossing the finish line are several young girls wearing matching blue tutus and fun hairstyles. Some raise their hands up in the air and smile with enthusiasm; others hold hands and focus on crossing the finish line with determination and grit. This the Heartspring team, one of the few Girls on the Run teams in the United States (and the only one in Kansas) made up entirely of girls with special needs. “I heard about this program, and how it helps girls feel better about themselves. It is all about inclusion and helping others,” said Megan Swett, Heartspring’s director of residential clinical services. Megan first introduced this running program in the Heartspring School in the fall of 2016 with the hope that Heartspring female students have an opportunity to learn self-love, confidence, and respect for one another. This simple idea then became a plan. With the help of staff volunteers, the Heartspring team started training, following a structured curriculum provided by the Girls on the Run board. The training took mental, physical, and emotional commitment, but after seeing the positive impact this activity had on the girls, more staff members began to volunteer. “After one season, we went from three coaches to ten coaches,” mentioned Megan.Megan’s favorite memories are witnessing the girls pushing their own limits. She recalls a particular training session when Payton announced, “Today, my goal is to run 10 laps.” After the ninth lap, Payton laid on the ground, out of breath. She looked up at her coach and said, “I have one more lap to run. How will I know I can’t do it if I don’t try?” She got up from the grass and started jogging, repeatedly telling herself, “I can do this. I can do this.” With this same sense of intent, focus, and willpower, Payton – along with the rest of the Heartspring girls – woke up on the morning of May 12th, 2018, traveled to the heart of Wichita, and completed 3.1 miles of empowerment, confidence, and self-discovery. Each one of them crossed the finish line, excited to accomplish their goals. For Heartspring, Girls on the Run signifies more than a physical achievement; it is a reminder of possibility, one of our core values. When the desire comes from the heart, the mind follows. And when, collectively, we join our hearts and minds, we overcome our differences and help one another find our own potential. Running with Purpose: A Heartspring StoryHeartspring School’s girls learn lessons of empowerment and self-improvement through a running program.
< Page 4 | Page 6 >