|
Molly Barker '89, founder of Girls
on the Run International, was named the 2004 Charlotte Woman of the Year
during a presentation held March 2 at the Levine Museum of the New South
in Charlotte.
Barker, a former high school teacher
and track coach, founded Girls on the Run in 1996. The program encourages
preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running.
Initially organized as an after-school activity for a group of 13 girls,
the program rapidly expanded into a self-sustaining not-for-profit organization.
Today Girls on the Run (www.girlsontherun.org) reaches more than 40,000
girls through more than 100 Girls on the Run councils operating across
the United States and Canada.
In 2004, Barker made her principles
and lessons learned in Girls on the Run available to a broad audience
with the publication of her first book, "Girls on Track - A Parent's Guide
to Inspiring Our Daughters to Achieve a Lifetime of Self-Esteem and Respect."
The book, now in its third printing, presents a ten-week program aimed
at building self-esteem in young girls between the ages of 8 to 12 years.
It was named a Best Parenting and Families book by Amazon.com.
In 1998, Barker received the Golden
Shoe Award from "Runner's World", a national running magazine, for contributions
to the community through running. In January 2005, "Enterprising Women"
magazine honored Barker with their Advocacy Award.
The Charlotte Woman of the Year Award
was first presented in 1955 by WBTV Radio. When WBTV ended its sponsorship
of the award in 1991, the previous honorees decided to carry on the tradition
of the award by selecting the recipient each year..
"I'm not sure which aspect of this award is more of an honor: winning the award or being honored by the previous winners," said Barker. "Many of the former recipients have been, and continue to be, trailblazers and advocates for women and children oriented causes. To be included in the 'lineup' with such amazing women is simply overwhelming!
Molly is not the first person associated
with the School to be honored with this prestigious award. Claire Kinnett
Tate, daughter-in-law of Jack Tate and wife of John Tate - both of whom
are long-time members of the School of Social Work's Board of Advisors,
was named Charlotte Woman of the Year in 2001. Claire is the director
of Partners in Out-of-School Time (POST), an organization that advocates
quality programs for children when they are not in school.
BACK |
