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Our History

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia is the largest independent local affiliate of Girls on the Run International, and was founded in 2001. That first season, we served 27 girls in two Northern Virginia schools. Throughout the past 10 years, thousands of volunteers have helped to empower nearly 25,000 young girls with the confidence and character they need to become healthy, strong women. Today, Girls on the Run of NOVA serves almost 8,000 girls annually at more than 175 sites in eight Northern Virginia counties and independent cities (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park).

Girls on the Run International was established in 1996 by Molly Barker in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Girls on the Run® curricula, the heart of the program, provides pre-adolescent girls with the necessary tools to embrace their individual strengths as they enter middle and high school. The earliest version of the 24 lesson curriculum was piloted in 1996 with the help of thirteen brave girls. Twenty-six girls came the next season, then seventy-five. In 2000, Girls on the Run International, a 501(c)(3) organization was born.

With the help of over 30,000 volunteers, the Girls on the Run® program is serving over 80,000 girls in over 170 cities across North America each year. In 2010, Girls on the Run® hosted 120 end-of-season 5K events across the United States and Canada. Girls on the Run® has been featured in many media outlets including People, Runner’s World, Redbook, Women’s Day, O Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Self Magazine, Glamour, Shape, Marie Claire, Runner’s World, Parenting, Running Times, CNN, MSNBC, ABC News, NBC News, NPR and ESPN.

Corporate sponsors for Girls on the Run International include New Balance, Secret deodorant, Goody hair products, Garmin, Horizon Fitness and Carolina Pad. The true success of the program is told in the words of its past and present participants. "I used to be shy, but now I'm not anymore." "I know that whatever I set my mind to do, I can do." "At Girls on the Run® I learned how to be comfortable in my own skin!"

That is success.

(Please visit Girls on the Run International for more information.)