WORCESTER, Mass. — A local road race celebrates confidence in young girls across the Worcester area.

Girls on the Run Worcester County welcomed students between third and eighth grade on Saturday to compete in the “Girls on the Run” 5K.

More than 650 participants started at Polar Park before running a course along city streets. 

The nonprofit says their mission is to not only build confidence, but help them use running as a tool to make them valuable members of their community.

“I think a lot of the girls during the practices each season skip, hop, jump their way through practice and they realize they can actually run a full 5K,” said Katie Esposito, program director. “So they impress themselves. These girls can do anything they set their minds to.”

“It’s an empowering program for girls because not only do we run and the girls set goals for themselves each week and then they run a 5K,” said Karen Spencer, the program’s executive director. “But each lesson they talk about life skill moments. And really, it’s like we’re helping to get them ready for middle school or high school.”

For girls who finished the 5K, the race was a challenge, but it was still an exciting day.

“I got to just like see everywhere,” said participant Stacy Muhoho. “I could just try to do my hardest or something.”

“It was pretty fun, but the most challenging part was the hills,” said Dalia Diaz, who ran the 5K. “So, it was really hard, but I still made it through with all the people.”

“When you’re in the beginning, you ran, but then at the end you just sprinted through everybody,” said runner Kendall Maki.

“I loved the end where you kind of like spring through everyone, and everyone’s like giving high fives,” said Clary Medrano Mejia.

“Girls on the Run” also hosted a race in Western Massachusetts last week at Western New England University.