Michelle Walden, a grade school teacher at Ryan Road Elementary in Northampton, was looking for a way to get involved with youth running.

Walden is a lifelong runner who has completed multiple marathons. She wanted to combine teaching and running, so two years ago she got involved with Girls on the Run.

Sarah Moylan, a fifth-grade teacher at Westhampton Elementary, was never a runner. But after witnessing all the positives the Girls on the Run program brought to her school last year, she decided to get involved.

Walden and Moylan each coach a Girls on the Run team at their school. This Sunday, they, along with 37 other teams from western Massachusetts, will celebrate the conclusion of the 10-week Girls on the Run program with a 5-kilometer run at Springfield College.

Girls on the Run is a growing national program. The western Massachusetts chapter is in dozens of schools across the four counties.

Girls on the Run bills itself as “a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls in third to eighth grade.”

“They absolutely love it,” said Walden of her 14-member third- to fifth-grade team. “The biggest change in all of them, besides their physical fitness, the biggest change has been their confidence. (It) has grown in so many ways. And a lot of that we get to see translate into the classroom.”

Moylan watched last year as three girls participated in the event. This year, Westhampton has two teams. A third- to fifth-grade team and a sixth- to seventh-grade team. Moylan’s team has four sixth-graders in addition to two seventh-graders from Hampshire Regional.

The teams meet twice a week for 10 weeks before the season finale.

“It’s team-building,” Moylan said, “getting to know yourself better, know what your comforts are and your discomforts are. Making connections with other people around you. A lot of social curriculum in addition to building up stamina for running.”

Teams also take part in what is called a Community Impact Project.

“We had our bake sale to benefit Boston Children’s Hospital and many who came to buy were asking about Girls on the Run,” Walden said. “Most of them really talked about how they were really looking forward to the 5K.”

Other teams held food drives for the homeless, made bags for the homeless and housebound, cleaned up their schools or raised money for libraries. Westhampton’s teams raised money for Dakin Humane Society and donated food to the Easthampton Police and Fire Departments.

“We are so inspired by the 39 different projects these girls came up with,” said Alison Berman, director for the Western Massachusetts council. “The projects are proof that the girls are learning about the power of teamwork.”

Organizers expect 500 girls and 160 volunteer coaches to attend the 5K, which starts at 10:30 a.m. The event is open to the public. Berman anticipates about 1,200 to 1,500 total participants. Last fall, the celebration at Smith College drew 1,000 between participants, family, friends and community members.

“There is no emphasis on times or racing at all,” Moylan said. “It’s for them to celebrate what they’ve done this season.”

Each team held a practice 5K in anticipation of the run.

“They got that feeling of accomplishment and crossing the finish line,” Moylan said. “It was a lot of fun.”

There are nine other schools from Hampshire County involved in Girls on the Run. From Northampton: Leeds Elementary, Jackson Street School and Bridge Street School. From Easthampton: Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School and Center/Pepin Elementary. The Anne T. Dunphy School of Williamsburg, Mosier Elementary of South Hadley, The Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley and Hatfield Elementary are also involved.

Registration is available at girlsontherunwesternma.org or at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Springfield College. Festivities will include a group warm-up, food truck, face painting and talk by Springfield College president Mary-Ann Cooper.

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