Haines High School counselor Lindsey Moore is looking for women interested in coaching Girls on the Run, a program geared toward empowering young women to be socially, physically and emotionally secure through running.

The program, which has been offered in Haines for the last several years through the Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE) organization, is for girls in third, fourth and fifth grades.

The goal is to inspire self-awareness, self-respect and a sense of achievement in young women by teaching them about topics like body image and the media, resisting peer pressure and making healthy decisions.

The program splices experience-based curriculum with running exercises to promote social and physical growth.

Moore said the program is valuable and necessary for young women. “I feel like there is a lot going on in the world today that just having some positive experiences, positive mentoring and positive social experiences with women in their age group can make a difference. Taking the opportunity to intervene at an early age and promoting those positive emotional and social skills and health is so important to future success,” she said.

Barbara Mulford, who will be coaching this season and has coached the past two years, said she has enjoyed working the program with her daughter. “It’s so good for the girls, especially at this age when they are developing socially. It’s the start of the most challenging part of their lives: relationships, friendships, boundaries, respect,” Mulford said.

Coaches must commit to coaching one to two times a week for 12 weeks. New coaches must attend training in Juneau from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 18. AWARE may be able to offer travel assistance. Head coaches will also need to be certified in CPR and first aid.

Contact Moore at 766-6744 to volunteer.