SAN ANTONIO – Since 2017, the BexarFest program has paired high school media production students with local nonprofits to create marketing content like pictures, graphic designs, and videos.

One of those pairings was Girls on the Run Bexar County with students at Johnson High School.

Girls on the Run is an afterschool program for girls in grades third through eighth.

“It’s a confidence-building program that builds life skills like how to stand up for yourself and others, how to manage emotions,” said Minka Misangyi, executive director of Girls on the Run. “And, then running, physical activity is interwoven with the curriculum.”

The nonprofit kicked off its first season in the spring of 2011 with 36 girls. Now, the program has grown to serve over 560 girls at more than 40 sites, including Mark Twain Dual Language Academy.

In 2019, Girls on the Run Bexar County collaborated with media production students from Johnson High School through the BexarFest program.

“They were a great group of kids,” Misangyi said. “They did a lot of really creative projects with us and for us, and they were just fun to work with. It was fun to teach them about what the nonprofit sector is like here in San Antonio because a lot of them really didn’t know the kinds of nonprofits that were here.”

Kelcey Sotello, marketing and development manager for Girls on the Run, added, “Working with high school students allowed them to see the impact of service in Bexar County, and the impression they made on the girls was remarkable.”

Throughout the partnership, the students produced graphic designs, a podcast, videos, and photography —materials that the nonprofit still uses today. Misangyi highlighted one photograph that has been shared nationally by Girls on the Run International.

“It’s amazing to see the lasting impact of their work,” she said.

As Girls on the Run Bexar County looks forward to its next collaboration with another group of high school students, the organization remains committed to empowering young girls in the community.