Girls on the Run Rio Grande is a local program that aims to inspire local young girls to "be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running."

The program's goal is to teach girls to activate their limitless potential and pursue their dreams.

"We're the only national base, physical activity, positive youth development program out there, addressing all the social and conflicting messages that girls get," Girls on the Run Rio Grande Council Director Angelica Turrieta told KOB4 on Tuesday. "We are trying to give them the tools to make good decisions, address the peer-pressure component and also try to help with the social isolation now, especially during COVID."

The girls in the program are excited to train for their first 5k run since 2019 due to the others being canceled because of COVID-19, the KOB4 report said. Currently, the program has 87 girls who compete in a spring season, and they hope to add a second season if more girls join the program.

"We actually have five different schools, we have six teams; so our goal this year was to start with 50 girls, but we actually had more interest than we had anticipated," Turrieta said. "So we actually are running the program, first time post-COVID, with 87 girls, which is huge."

The program uses money from donations to fund the entry fees to the 5k and 10-week programs for all girls participating, the report said. Program officials are looking for small-business/community support for the next season and hope they get enough funds to sponsor a second team.

Coaches are on a volunteer basis and work with a group of girls for 10 weeks, the Girls on the Run website said.

To learn more about Girls on the Run, visit the website here.