SALISBURY — As students prepare to head back to school, many parents are looking for after-school activities that provide a safe and structured place where children can learn skills and be physically active.

Girls on the Run offers this and more.

A recent independent study provides evidence that Girls on the Run is highly effective at driving transformative and lasting change in the lives of third- to fifth-grade girls. The program’s curriculum emphasizes developing competence, confidence, connection, character, caring and contribution in young girls through lessons that incorporate running and other physical activities.

Throughout the course of the 10-week program, girls learn critical life skills including managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others and making intentional decisions. The program uses a research-based curriculum and trained coaches.

The independent study was conducted by Maureen R. Weiss, an expert on youth development.

“Girls on the Run participants scored higher in managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others, and making intentional decisions than participants in organized sport or physical education,” said Weiss. “Being able to generalize skills learned in the program to other situations such as at school or at home is a distinguishing feature of Girls on the Run compared to traditional youth sports and school physical education and suggests that the intentional life skills curriculum and coach-training program can serve as exemplars for other youth programs.”

“We receive countless letters from girls, parents and coaches about how our program changes lives,” said Elizabeth Kunz, chief executive officer of Girls on the Run. “The study findings reinforce these personal stories and provide powerful evidence that participation in Girls on the Run leads to positive changes. These results confirm our commitment to expand our reach and inspire one million more girls to become joyful, healthy and confident.”

For more information about fall registration for Girls on the Run, visit www.gotrgreaterpiedmont.org.