Girls Thrive

Girls Thrive is on a mission to inspire girls, in grades 4-12, to empower themselves through a variety of physical activities and educational lessons designed to promote self-confidence, self-esteem, and positive body image.

Girls Thrive offers a Community Program (CP) for girls in grades 6-12 and a School Program (SP) at Helena Title I elementary schools for girls in grades 4-5. The CP is the flagship GT program where four seasonal sessions are provided throughout the year to girls of all backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, and abilities: eight-week Fall, Winter, and Spring Sessions, and a three-day Summer Confidence Clinic (SCC). Mountain biking, running, and cross-training (indoor rock climbing, strength training, hiking, spinning, yoga, etc.) activities comprise the physical activity facet of the Fall and Spring Sessions, while snowshoeing, micro-spike hiking, cross-country skiing, swimming, and indoor rock climbing comprise the Winter Session. The physical activities provided during the SCC vary upon location of the clinic and what our partners can provide; however, in previous years, they have included yoga, birding, paddle boarding, and kayaking.

All GT Sessions include a plethora of educational topics pertinent to growing young women. Lessons are taught by local professionals, who volunteer their time to educate the participants. Educational lessons vary each session, but generally include: body image, nutrition, mental/physical/emotional health, goal-setting, cultivating confidence, facing fears, leadership, and more.

The SP participants have annual programming, meeting after school at Title I elementary schools in Helena to provide programming for underserved students. GT developed a specific curriculum to teach girls in grades 4-5 to grow in strength, confidence, and community. Participants also face no transportation barriers for the program, as they stay on site at the school.