BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – “Girls on the Run Bexar County” is celebrating 15 years of impact, reaching thousands of students over the years.
The program serves girls in third through eighth grade and creates a supportive space where participants can develop both physically and emotionally.
A Girls on the Run practice is more than just an after-school activity; it’s a lesson in confidence.
“It’s a group of 10 girls doing a lesson from our new curriculum that helps them learn how to be bold, have confidence and be good friends to each other,” said Executive Director Minka Misangyi at a practice at Los Reyes Elementary, which is one of the dozens of sites that the organization has partnered with this year.
Through guided discussions and team-building exercises, students learn how to navigate challenges, build friendships and believe in themselves.
Natalie Schultz is a Girls on the Run Junior Coach at Los Reyes Elementary. She was once a student at the school and participated in the program.
“It’s a full circle moment because I was a part of the Girls on the Run at this school, Los Reyes,” said Schultz. “It’s my elementary school, and it was something that I really enjoyed when I was in the program, and it’s something I wanted to do, to come back.”
Schultz credits the program with teaching her valuable life skills at a young age.
“It definitely taught me to listen to others, to be more confident in myself, and how to make friends,” she said.
This year marks a significant milestone for the organization. Over the past 15 years, it has reached nearly 9,000 girls across 31 schools in Bexar, Kendall, and Comal counties.
The impact has been made possible with the help of nearly 800 volunteer coaches.
“It makes me really proud of the community here in San Antonio,” Misangyi said. “It’s taken a whole community to really get this program going and bring it together, and it’s exactly the kind of community we’re trying to create, where people feel that they’re a part of something.”
Each season of Girls on the Run builds toward a celebratory 5K event, which provides participants with a tangible goal and a sense of accomplishment. This year, that milestone run carries even more meaning for Schultz, whose younger sister is now part of the program.
“It’s fun to watch her grow up and do the exact same thing that I did and have a great time with it and do it with her friends,” she said.
The season will wrap up with a community 5K on May 2, where participants will put their training and confidence to the test. Click here for registration details.