Hundreds of elementary and middle school girls from across the Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions gathered at DeSales University on the morning of May 18 for the Girls on the Run Lehigh Valley and Pocono 5K.

This event celebrated the culmination of the spring 2025 season with all finishers receiving medals to honor their achievement.

The event began with prerace activities including hair color, face glitter, music, food trucks, and fun.

It brought together participants from more than a dozen school districts, including Northwestern Lehigh School District.

Each girl was joined by a volunteer running buddy, highlighting the program’s emphasis on mentorship and community support.

Girls on the Run is an annual after-school program for girls in grades three through five and Heart and Sole is the middle school program designed for sixth, seventh and eighth grade girls of all abilities.

Founded in 1996, Girls on the Run International is a nonprofit that has served more than two million girls across North America.

The program was founded in 2002 in the Lehigh Valley and Pocono region, and is run locally in the Northwestern Lehigh School District by teachers, staff, parents, high school students, and other community volunteers.

For more information or to get involved, visit https://www.gotrlehighpocono.org/.