Since 2001, the Ypsilanti-based nonprofit Girls on the Run Southeastern Michigan (GOTR) has used physical activity to inspire girls to challenge gender norms, push past societal barriers, and navigate cultural obstacles with confidence. By blending exercise with engaging lessons, the nonprofit equips girls with essential life skills that extend beyond the track. 

"The power of this program was combining those two things – curriculum and experiential," says Danielle Plunkett, GOTR executive director. "Experiential learning and ideas tend to be more cemented when we have a physical experience."

Plunkett says women and young girls, particularly those from marginalized communities, often have fewer opportunities to participate in sports, especially at a young age. GOTR aims to bridge this gap by providing a supportive, non-competitive environment for students to recognize both the power of their bodies and the power of mutual support and perseverance.

"The bigger picture we’re focusing on is instilling tools in our participants to help guide them into middle school," Plunkett says. "We hope that by the time they’re in high school, they’re using their voices and finding the right support systems and making decisions based on their values to become leaders in our community."
Britt HueterA GOTR race in 2024.
GOTR is the local chapter of an international organization with numerous locations. It serves nine Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township sites, and many others across Washtenaw, Livingston, Monroe, Lenawee, and Jackson counties. GOTR staff are dedicated to providing an equal experience for each student, regardless of financial status. Plunkett says 946 local families received over $100,000 in financial aid, and 305 children received athletic wear and shoes, to participate in the program in 2024. She says efforts like these would not be possible without the support of organizations like the Ralph C. Wilson Junior Foundation, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Community Foundation, Ypsilanti Area Community Fund, and Trinity Health.

Cheri Cottrell, a special education teacher at Estabrook Elementary in Ypsi, has been her school’s GOTR site leader since 2019. She says GOTR programming has not only helped participating students become more active in their school communities and improve their grades, but has also been a "self-esteem booster" for students.

"It’s not just about making sure these girls feel strong and give gratitude to their bodies and try to mitigate all the negativity around them," Cottrell says. "... The big goal is to equip girls and children with tools that will help serve them throughout their whole life to be the best they can be and cope with things that are out of their control."

Cottrell says GOTR’s emphasis on individual progress, rather than the competitive spirit of most team sports, is one major draw for students.
Doug CoombeEstabrook Elementary special education teacher Cheri Cottrell.
"We try to make the person who finishes first feel as special as the person who finishes last," Plunkett says.

Students are encouraged to set personal goals and support each other in reaching those goals at their own pace. Najma Treadwell, a site leader and coach for the GOTR program at the Community Family Life Center in Ypsilanti Township, has seen the impact such goals have on GOTR participants, including her two daughters. 

"I was able to watch them connect on a deeper level as sisters and even as Girls on the Run teammates, encouraging each other and speaking life into each other," Treadwell says. "I was able to see them using that language throughout the week in full force, not just on the days that we met. They were using it at home with their brothers and ... sharing things with my husband about what they learned."

GOTR programming culminates each year in a 5K event held at Eastern Michigan University, which brings together participants from 50 locations to celebrate their progress in endurance, resilience, and self-confidence. This year's 5K will take place on May 3. Treadwell says students can take the race at their own pace and receive encouragement from their coaches, mentors, and peers. She says students also learn tools to encourage themselves.
Doug CoombeJah'Niya, Jah'Nyla, and Najma Treadwell.
"A student had huge concerns about being left behind and being the last one to finish," Treadwell says. "I told her, ‘I’m gonna be right here with you.’"

The student ended up beating her time from the previous year's 5K.

"Just seeing the look of excitement on her face and the tears running out of her eyes while she crossed that finish line ... was amazing," Treadwell says.

Both Cottrell and Treadwell express a sense of fulfillment in working with GOTR. They feel that GOTR's most important contribution to the Ypsilanti area is allowing students to have a hand in bringing the community together.
Britt HueterA GOTR race in 2024.
"Girls love the program, but their basic needs are being met. They know they’re going to come to this program and be fed, have women who are older they can trust, be with their friends, and build community," Cottrell says. "That’s life-changing and community-changing."

Treadwell says she's not only found that she encourages her mentees and pushes them to reach her goals, but that they motivate her as well.

"It’s been so eye-opening for me," she says.

More details and a list of current GOTR locations in Ypsi can be found at girlsontherunsemi.org. For more information about the international GOTR organization, visit their website here. 

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.

Photos by Doug Coombe.