Unique Physical/Emotioal Fitness Program For Girls In West Hartford To Begin

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Girls on the Run Greater Connecticut is returning to two West Hartford elementary schools this fall, offering programs designed to combine physical activity with lessons focused on confidence, relationships, and life skills.

Eight-week Girls on the Run programs will be offered at Morley and Bugbee elementary schools, with the Bugbee season beginning the week of Sept. 28 and Morley's starting the week of Oct. 5.

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The youth development program uses physical activity alongside lessons intended to help girls recognize their strengths, develop confidence, navigate challenges, and build relationships with their teammates.

Participants will also work toward completing a celebratory 5K at the end of the season.

At Morley Elementary School, the team will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:20 to 4:45 p.m.

The Morley program will be coached by siblings Gillian and Lydia Hixson and their mother, Mari Beth Hixson.

"Looking forward to another season at Morley!" head coach Gillian Hixson said. "I can't wait to get moving, make memories, and share lots of smiles as a team!"

At Bugbee Elementary School, participants will meet Mondays from 3:20 to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

The Bugbee team is coached by longtime Girls on the Run volunteer Jennifer Byrne, who was recently named a recipient of the Girls on the Run International 2026 Remarkable Volunteer Award.

"What has always inspired me most is the girls themselves," Byrne said. "Watching them discover their confidence, find their voices, overcome challenges, and realize they are capable of more than they imagined is a gift."

Byrne said seeing participants complete their first 5K with pride and determination continues to remind her of the program's mission.

West Hartford families interested in the fall programs can find registration information through Girls on the Run Greater Connecticut at this link.