Officials swept off their feet with county program's initial success

Julie Severn

10/2/2003 12:00:00 AM

A fleet of local girls are putting their best foot forward for a county wide program that's proving to be anything but run-of-the-mill.

After only two months "Girls on the Run of Isabella County" has produced awesome results and been a positive impact on 108 elementary students including 27 Native youth, according to council director Jen Crawford.

"It's a highly effective peer prevention program that works in a short amount of time," she explained. "We've seen a significant decrease in violence and substance abuse and an increase in self-esteem."

The educational curriculum focused on problem solving solutions for everyday issues, while physically preparing the students for a 5K run.

"The teams met twice a week for nine weeks with trained coaches who taught them about nutrition, team building skills, community awareness, substance abuse, and social behavior," added Crawford. "Coaches provided the tools necessary for individual growth and on race day it really showed."

Ninety-nine girls and 11 coaches hit the ground running on June 7 and completed the course together.

"There was a lot of support and we had so much fun that we ran the 5K without even knowing it," said Saginaw Chippewa Academy coach Eliza Owl. "I'm really proud of the girls. It wasn't about winning, but about perseverance and finishing. Each one of them completed the race and that makes them all winners."

Crawford said she was approached by several parents who were amazed at the positive changes seen in their daughters both in school and at home.

"One girl had been in so much trouble the principal discouraged her participation, but by the end of the program the principal couldn't believe the tremendous attitude change and what a difference it had made," she added.

Crawford attributes the programs' success to the dedication of the coaches.

"We had a very cool selection of ladies that served as good role models including several CMU students, Tribal employees, city and Tribal police officers," she said. "The entire procedure was geared toward teaching the girls to be happy with who they are, while increasing their confidence with developmental assets attained through teamwork and role models other than their parents. Ultimately they learned the importance of treating their bodies better."

Slight curriculum modifications to incorporate the Native culture allowed for a healthy balance, Owl added.

"Often we focus on mental, emotional and spiritual health, while physical health is overlooked," she explained. "So many young ones are into video games and this opportunity showed them it's not necessary to be the perfect weight or perfect height to physically compete and complete a project."

SCA elementary student Sarah Ballew enjoyed the experience and is looking forward to next year.

"I learned a lot about team work, confidence, self-esteem, and how to motivate my teammates by boosting their confidence through cheers," she said. "Eliza was a good coach and it was cool to have all my buddies running with me."

Eleven-year-old teammate Corinna Harris agreed. Although the race seemed like it was a long way, she knew they could do it together.

"We practiced leg stretches and jumping jacks, so we were pretty confident," Corinna added.

Corinna's nine-year-old sister Vanessa said her favorite part of the program was meeting new people and hanging out with her friends.

"By allowing each girl a chance to lead the group, it gave them more confidence to speak out and cheer each other on," said Owl.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's semiannual 2 percent disbursement process allocated $25,000 to the program for the 2003-2004 school year. Crawford said there might be a middle school version implemented in the fall called "Girls on Track."

"We've been fortunate to have a diverse group of agencies and staff support us," she added. "The Tribe, Mt. Pleasant public schools, the city of Mt. Pleasant, Parks & Recreation and CMCH-they have allowed us to keep the cost down to $20 a girl and we're very appreciative."

New Balance also sponsored the program and provided each girl with an $80 pair of running shoes and water bottles.

"They brought a bunch of shoes and measured our feet to make sure we'd have the right size," Corrina explained. "I didn't think I'd be a size nine! It was cool though because we all got matching shoes."

Owl said all participants enjoyed the course and look forward to next year.

"It's a good feeling to be involved in a program that may only last a couple of months, but leaves an impact for life," she added. "We have a lot of good kids here. It's nice to see them join together and take a stand for a well balanced, healthy lifestyle."