Making it to the finish line first isn't what Girls on the Run is all about.

The after-school program for girls in grades 3 to 8 teaches important life skills via interactive lessons and running games. The 10-week program culminates in a celebratory 5k running event, but the main goal of GOTR is to build the girls' self-confidence and establish a life-long appreciation of health and fitness early on in their lives.

GOTR was established in Charlotte, N.C., in 1996 and has grown to 213 councils (chapters) in 47 states.

Sarah LaFayette of North Stonington brought the nonprofit program to Connecticut this past March. She is the executive director of the organization for southeastern Connecticut serving New London, Middlesex and Windham counties.

GOTR is currently offered at three locations in the region: North Stonington Elementary School; the Mystic branch of Ocean Community YMCA; and Girls on Track (for sixth to eighth graders) at Colchester's William Johnston Middle School, sponsored by Colchester Youth & Social Services.

LaFayette is a stay-at-home mom with three children - two of whom are girls ages 2 and 11. She has a B.A. in environmental studies with a concentration on outdoor education and has experience teaching, volunteering and fundraising in her community.

"I was shy as a young girl and it kept me from doing a lot of things," LaFayette says. "I found running in my early 30s, and it was a good way for me not only to get physically fit but to spend time with my own thoughts."

LaFayette knew the director of GOTR in Vermont, where she grew up, and where the program was instituted 15 years ago.

"I did some research, learned about it, and decided to bring it here," LaFayette says. "My motivation was to inspire my daughters to believe they are capable of anything and make choices that they can be proud of."

She emphasizes that GOTR encompasses everything all parents should want for their daughters.

"It encourages girls to take ownership of their feelings and actions and ultimately be the change they want to see in the world," she says.

"The program is very unique - there are no comparable programs out there," LaFayette adds. "It's been evaluated (yearly) since 2001 and results have shown that girls who participate have made improvements in body size satisfaction, eating attitudes, healthy food choices, participation in physical activity and self-esteem."

Why is GOTR specifically crafted for girls in grades 3 to 8?

"I think the belief is to target girls at an early age when they're still listening to their parents, caregivers and teachers more than their peers," LaFayette says. "In high school they're more influenced by their peers. By doing this program, they'll have more confidence in their own decision-making and know themselves well enough to make positive choices (when they enter high school). These life skills we teach the girls prevent unhealthy, risky behaviors, physical inactivity and negative body image."

THE RUNDOWN ON GIRLS ON THE RUN

Volunteer coaches facilitate the program at the various sites where GOTR meets twice a week for one-and-a-half hours each day.

LaFayette explains that coaches must complete a full training in the GOTR program before each session starts. They also must be certified in First Aid and CPR and undergo a background check per the national policy.

"We're more than a running program," she stresses. "There are 215 councils across the country and in Canada that use this curriculum that's lesson-based, divided into three sections. During the first third, we help girls get a better understanding of themselves and who they are. In the middle third, we look at the role of teams and how they can create healthy relationships with one another. The last third explores how girls can positively connect and shape the world."

Each lesson is structured the same with a different topic.Group discussion is incorporated with running games that are fun and get girls to think about the topic of the day, such as "Positive self talk and why I choose it."

At the conclusion of the session, the girls take everything they've learned and do a community service project, which has included a bake sale to raise money for Stand up for Animals of Westerly and a food drive for the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. The 5k race comes at the end of the session, LaFayette says.

"We encourage the girls to find their own pace. We celebrate the individual because every girl is different," she explains. "They often surprise themselves - if they don't think they can do this and then overcome their fears. You never know what you can do if you put your mind to it and choose to be positive.

"All the girls wear the #1 (placard) during the run because we don't put any emphasis on what place they come in," LaFayette adds. "We celebrate the individual at Girls on the Run."

Abby, Lafayette's 11-year-old daughter, is pleased she conquered her initial misgivings about joining the program.

"I was kind of unsure of it at first, but then I did it and it was a lot of fun," she says. "One of my favorite parts was that I could express myself and nobody would judge you or what you say."

HOW KIDS AND ADULTS CAN GET INVOLVED

The cost is $150 for a 10-week session and includes a water bottle, T-shirt, entrance fee into a 5k race, a healthy snack at each lesson, and a party and finisher medal at the end of the season. Scholarships are offered on a sliding scale, based on income.

Registration for the spring sessions of Girls on the Run begins Feb. 9; registration forms are available online at www.gotrsect.org. Scholarship applications will be available online starting Jan. 26. Information on the upcoming season and events, hosting a new site and volunteering is also on the website.

SoleMates, a charity running component of Girls on the Run, invites men and women athletes of any level to help raise money for their local Girls on the Run council, as well as raise awareness of the program by soliciting donations for an athletic event. Details online or contact Elke, local SoleMates coordinator, at sectsolemates@gmail.com.