Living St. Louis – Girls on the Run

Adolescence is often a tough and vulnerable time for young girls. As part of Youth at Risk, Living St. Louis Producer Anne-Marie Berger looks at a program that gives young girls an opportunity to succeed—Girls on the Run. Dr. Michael Meehan of Epworth Children & Family Services explains that one of the best ways to keep young girls from pitfalls like falling into the wrong peer groups or succumbing to negative peer pressure is through a sense of achievement, which is what Girls on the Run provides. Through Girls on the Run, girls in third through fifth grade learn the skills they need to navigate issues like bullying and gossip while also training to run a 5k. Berger visits with the girls on the Bluffview Elementary team from Dupo, Illinois, on their journey to race day, where they join almost 100 other schools in achieving that sense of accomplishment and self-confidence.