Girls across metro Atlanta are lacing up their running shoes and building confidence, friendships and self-esteem through a program designed to empower young girls.

Kennedy Barnes and Lillian Peters, both from Buckhead, are participants in Girls on the Run, a national organization that uses physical activity to help girls develop healthy habits and positive self-worth. One of the program's signature activities is a 5K run, which encourages participants to set goals and support one another along the way.

Barnes says the program has helped her improve her fitness while boosting her confidence on and off the track.

"I feel like I grow my endurance and I feel like I'm very good, like a good runner right now, and it's helping with soccer," Barnes said.

For Peters, the biggest impact has been the sense of belonging she found through the program.

"I made a lot of friends quickly, and I felt everybody, like, in the community of Girls on the Run was very kind and welcoming," Peters said.

Since its founding in 1996, Girls on the Run has worked with more than 2.5 million girls nationwide. The organization offers programs for girls in third through eighth grade in Georgia and across the United States, focusing on physical activity, teamwork and building confidence that lasts beyond the finish line.