Emily ran two programs for Girls on the Run in Lee County; first, in Fall semester, she created a fully inclusive program for 11, 3rd-5th grade girls. By the end, all eleven girls completed the 5k to the best of their ability as well as created friendships and gained self-confidence. This spring, Emily is in the process of running an inclusive program for six (6) middle school girls. Importantly, both groups have succeeded while following safety protocols to prevent COVID. As an additional part of this program, she has prepared a tips and tricks guide for inclusive coaching in the Lee County program. This guide, along with representative advertising should help more girls with disabilities be included in the future. Over the course of the year, Emily also aided in a tutoring program with 2019-2020 Fellows and helped a 2020-2021 Fellow with coding for his project, demonstrating the collaborative spirit and support between Fellows.

As a result of the program:

• 11 girls in 3rd-5th grades completed the fall program with 94% attendance.
  • Two girls with Down Syndrome were a part of this group and reported feeling included. One noted in the post-program interview that she was so thankful to have real friends.
  • All 11 girls had a change in the words they described themselves, from beginning with “3rd, 4th, 5th grader, student, not good at sports, and quiet/shy” to “Strong, resilient (a team word all year), confident, and powerful” at the end.
• Six Girls in 6th-8th grade girls have begun the spring program with 100% attendance so far.
  • 2 girls with learning disabilities are in the program.
  • Common starter words are “Lonely, loud, outgoing, not good at running or sports, organized”. Emily anticipates seeing an improvement in self-concept by the end of the program in May.

Emily’s project is continuing this spring including two teams that promote inclusive fitness for all girls. In addition, she has created flyers and coaching tips that target girls with disabilities for use in future years.

“Before the program began, I was excited to learn and grow from this group. Once COVID hit, I was scared it would become just another thing to figure out and slog through. However, in a year of confusion and chaos, ASF became the joy of my week, an outlet to safely serve my people. Beyond that, I was able to learn from the other Fellows who were all in different fields and projects. I have learned so much about different areas in which the fellows are passionate. Finally, Kristin helped us understand what it truly means not just to care for others, but to take care of ourselves during our work. This knowledge is vital and has already become part of my weekly life.”