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‘AND THEY’RE OFF! Salemwood K-8 Students and Staff team up at ‘Girls on the Run’ & ‘Heart and Sole’ event

Dozens of Malden girls participate in ‘fun run,’ culture-building program held at Suffolk Downs in Revere

By Steve Freker

‘And they’re off!’ That time-honored race-starting shout – blasted from the Suffolk Downs P.A. system thousands of times during its nearly 85-year tenure – took on a whole new meaning Saturday. At the former Revere racing mecca, hundreds of young girls, their family members and others joined together to participate in the ever-popular “Girls on the Run” and “Heart and Sole” event, a regional 5K hosted by the national organization dedicated to teaching life skills to students from grades 3 to 8.

Included in the group were dozens of girls and a hearty contingent of staff members from Malden’s Salemwood K-8 School, led by Principal Van Huynh. Salemwood School has been an enthusiastic participant in the national “Girls on the Run” program, which focuses on girls in grades 3-5, and according to information provided on its website, “inspires participants of all abilities to recognize their individual strengths while building a sense of connection in a team setting.”

At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, “which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.”

Building on the success of the initial “Girls on the Run,” the same program added “Heart and Sole” for girls in grades 6-8. According to “Girls on the Run,” “Our Heart & Sole middle school program meets the unique needs of participants of all abilities in 6th-8th grade.

“The program considers the whole person – body, brain, heart, spirit and social connection. Heart & Sole offers an inclusive place of belonging, where team members feel supported and inspired to explore their emotions, cultivate empathy and strengthen their physical and emotional health.”

Principal Van said she is always inspired by the response of her students, families and staff members who join together in participating in this valuable event. “What a great day for a Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole 5K event at Suffolk Downs!” the Salemwood principal said. “Our students, families and staff rocked it!”

Principal Van noted that the transportation bus left the school at 6:40 a.m. sharp, and everyone joined in the pre-race stretching and instruction, just before the big event went off without a hitch.

She had a lot of “thank yous” to pass around, including the Girls on the Run coaches – Andie Siegal, Syndey Moulaison, Molly Barone, Laura Kelley, Ali Machado, Kathleen McGourthy and Jacqueline Errera – and Heart and Soul coaches Aimee Fox, Samjhana Gurung and Serena Lau-Brazell. Principal Van also thanked her Salemwood administration team of Assistant Principals Jane Wright, Kristen Reidy and Lauren McGonagle for “supporting, participating and cheering our runners on!”

“A huge thank you to our families for being our students’ running buddies and for coming out to root them on,” Principal Van added. “Each year the event gets bigger and bigger. The excitement and awesome energy of our students, families and staff makes it even more amazing. So much fun was had by all!”