All phases of development are important. But it seems that the stage between the third and eighth grades may be especially critical in the growth of young women.

That's where Girls on the Run (GOTR) steps in and helps girls put their collective best foot forward. GOTR's mission is to help adolescent females become more social, more confident and more emotionally aware.

"We address the whole girl," said Jennifer West, program director for GOTR of Lancaster. "Girls are facing so many critical decisions at this stage. We help girls with friendships, resolving conflicts, reaching goals, overcoming obstacles and asking for advice."

"We hear girls say, 'I'm not good enough. I'm not tall enough. I'm not smart enough,'" continued West. "We tell them, 'No, you want to be yourself.' We help girls find their star power. We help girls make good choices."

West emphasized that GOTR is more than simply a running program, but an after-school, community program. "You can hop, jump and skip, as long as you're moving forward," she said.

GOTR of Lancaster conducts two 90-minute meetings each week for 10 weeks, during both the spring and fall seasons. Registration for the spring 2023 season will begin Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Meetings are conducted by volunteer coaches in every school district in Lancaster and Lebanon counties, as well as at churches and social organizations like the YMCA. Last spring, GOTR served 960 local residents, and in the fall, the program's participants numbered around 560. This spring, GOTR of Lancaster is shooting for 1,100 participants, 80 teams and 450 volunteer coaches.

"We're really dependent on finding people with love for Girls on the Run," said West.

GOTR's program separates its girls into two groups by age. The course focuses on participants learning about themselves first, then learning about cooperation and finally learning about their communities.

This year's spring GOTR program will be capped on Saturday, May 20, at Franklin & Marshall College with its annual 5K run, which is expected to draw 3,000 participants, running buddies, coaches and spectators.

"We started out with 25 girls and two teams," said West. "It's 14 years later, and we feel like Girls on the Run has become a household name."

Lancaster is one of 200 councils of the international GOTR program. In 2017, GOTR of Lancaster incorporated Lebanon County as part of its reach.

Since its inception, GOTR of Lancaster has served nearly 19,000 participants.

"Now we have girls who have graduated from college coming back and they're like a bridge to the older people," said West. "We're a lot more sure of ourselves. We know it's successful. We know it's impactful. We know it's making a difference in people's lives."

To register for GOTR's spring session, visit http://www.gotrlancaster.org, email jwest@gotrlancaster.org or call 717-869-5655. There is a fee to register, based on income.