Morgan Elementary students on a fast track to success

There’s a time for serious conversation and a time for silliness. And there’s always time for running.

For 17 girls at Morgan Elementary School, Girls on the Run is where it all happens.

The 3-6 grade students stayed after school two days a week to learn life lessons while also training for a 5K run.

“Girls on the Run is a program that helps us with much more than exercising - it helps us build self-esteem and we talk about things like how to fight bullying,” said Morgan fourth grader Maggie McGuire.

Added fourth grade classmate Chloe O’Loughhlin, “It helps us deal with life.”

“The goal isn’t to turn girls into marathon runners but to inspire them to be joyful, healthy and confident individuals who can set a goal and then reach it,” said Morgan teacher Kirsten Carlson. “Serious talk, covering topics like peer pressure and bullying, is combined with active running games.”

The season ended May 17 when many of the girls ran the Girls on the Run of Greater Detroit 5K at Kensington Metro Park. A new ten-week program will begin again in September.

“It’s important to find ways to be healthier and get outside,” said fourth grader Ava Gadawski. “This helps us with that by making it fun.”