Girls on the Run Georgia is celebrating an incredible milestone this year: 25 years of inspiring confidence in girls across Georgia! Each month, we're taking a trip down memory lane and spotlighting a person who has played a crucial role in shaping our council. From coaches and volunteers to staff and participants, these stories reflect the heart of Girls on the Run Georgia as we continue to build confidence, strength, and connections throughout Georgia communities.
This month, we’re thrilled to highlight Tes Sobomehin Marshall, our dedicated Girls on the Run Georgia 5K Race Manager, volunteer, and supporter. Tes first became involved with Girls on the Run Georgia while working as a Guest Advocate at Big Peach Running Co. She regularly set up information tables at race events and quickly connected with our program’s mission. Through these events, she met Executive Director Lea Rolfes, who not only welcomed her into the Girls on the Run community but also supported Tes’s own running events. When the opportunity for a new Race Manager opened in 2015, Tes officially stepped into her leadership role.
One of Tes’s most cherished aspects of Girls on the Run is witnessing the culmination of each season at the celebratory 5K. “Each season, it is always so rewarding to see the girls cross the finish line after all of their hard work,” she shares. “I absolutely love seeing the college volunteers at the finish line hype up the girls and give them positive reinforcement that they just did something amazing and powerful. I pray each season that feeling lasts well past their finish line experience.”
Tes believes deeply in the importance of nurturing safe and empowering spaces for girls to grow. “It is tough being a girl or woman in this society,” she says. “Safe and nurturing spaces for growth, confidence, and empowerment are so needed. As a mother of a young girl, I am grateful for opportunities like Girls on the Run and look forward to her going through the program.”
Her hope for the future is that every girl has the chance to experience a season with Girls on the Run. “The program is essential to young girls and their development. I hope that every girl in every school will have an opportunity to participate.”
Reflecting on her time with Girls on the Run, Tes shares the most powerful lesson she has taken away from the experience: the transformative effect of teamwork and encouragement. “The most impactful lesson in my time with Girls on the Run is seeing teams of girls support each other and experience confident emotions within themselves.”
As Girls on the Run Georgia continues to celebrate 25 years of impact, we are grateful for dedicated individuals like Tes whose passion and leadership help make this program possible for so many girls. Thank you, Tes, for all that you do to inspire and empower the next generation!
