ROCKPORT — Over a period of 10 weeks, girls in grades three through five participate in an after-school program like no other, according to a news release. Designed to allow every girl to recognize her inner strength, the Pen Bay YMCA’s new Girls on the Run curriculum inspires girls to define their lives on their own terms. Throughout the season, they make new friends, build their confidence and celebrate all that makes them unique.

Lessons learned through the program encourage positive emotional, social, mental and physical development. Participants explore and discuss their own beliefs around experiences and challenges girls face at this age. They also develop important strategies and skills to help them navigate life experiences.

Instructors start by helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and what's important to them. Then, they look at the importance of team work and healthy relationships.

And, finally, the girls explore how they can positively connect with and shape the world.

Physical activity is woven into the program to inspire an appreciation of fitness and to build habits that lead to a lifetime of health. At the end of each three month session, the girls participate in a Girls on the Run 5k event. This celebratory, non-competitive event is the culminating experience of the curriculum.

Completing the 5k gives the girls a tangible understanding of the confidence that comes through accomplishment as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals. Crossing the finish line is a defining moment when the girls realize that even the seemingly impossible IS possible.

Though the program is new to the Rockport area, several other communities around Maine already have Girls on the Run programs.

Registration begins August 1. Click on the attachment for more information regarding registration and the program’s schedule.