Students at Paterson School 20 are preparing for a 5K through Girls on the Run, an international program focused on building confidence through fitness and teamwork.

The school hosted its fifth annual Girls on the Run 5K practice ahead of the main event. Seventeen girls between the ages of 9 and 13 have been training for weeks with support from teachers, classmates, and families.

“You get to show your star power, and you get to spend time with your friends, and you get to run,” said 9-year-old Serenity, who participates in the program with her 8-year-old sister, Kayleigh.

“They’re finding their strength, they’re finding how to help one another, how to slow down, how to strive, how to persevere,” said Sue Jacobs Mann, a grandparent. “We lose that sometimes in our community.”

According to a recent independent study, 97% of girls in the program said they learned critical life skills. The study also found 85% of girls improved in confidence, caring, competence, character development, or connection to others, and there was a 40% increase in physical activity among girls who were least active at the beginning of the program.

“We really want to lean into girls celebrating what makes them unique and special,” said Maureen Dykstra, of Girls on the Run. “We really believe that if they lean into their innate talents and skills, they’ll be the most successful in life.”

Through Girls on the Run, students learn teamwork, goal setting, and resilience while forming bonds with their peers.

The 5K is scheduled for May 16 at White Deer Plaza in Sparta.

“Being able to finish something that it starts from one end to the other and just that accomplishment of doing a 5K is just something incredible for them, to feel that,” said Paulina Olivares, a teacher and coach.