Meet Julianna Firkey! Star Power Superstar, Girls on the Run champion, and a fearless believer in the “I Can” Power within us all! 

For Julianna, Girls on the Run wasn’t just something to do after school. It was something she counted on. A place to feel safe, supported, and understood, especially during a year when that mattered most. 

“Girls on the Run helped me so much. It was the thing I looked forward to during my 6th grade year, especially," Julianna shares. 

A Highgate, VT native, Julianna participated in Girls on the Run for four consecutive seasons, returning year after year to a program that became a constant in her life.

Julianna at the Northern VT 5K, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex, VT – May 2019

“Girls on the Run gave me a place to feel safe and understood."

That sense of belonging mattered. It gave her room to be herself and grow alongside teammates who were learning the same lessons. One lesson that stayed with her long after the season ended was positive self-talk. “Positive self-talk was one of my favorite lessons for sure, it helped me a lot even if I didn’t realize it at the time,” she says. Back then, it may have felt small, but those words quietly took root and became part of how Julianna approaches challenges and new experiences.

That confidence only grew year after year for Julianna. Girls on the Run helped Julianna step into other sports and activities feeling capable and included. “I was able to feel like I belonged on whatever court or mat I was on,” she explains. She went on to try cheer, then volleyball, growing a love for both sports and building confidence with every new experience.

  Pictured Right: Alongside a coach at a team-hosted 5K in 2021 (post-pandemic)

Pictured Left: Supported by a coach at the Northern VT 5K, 2019

Of course, Julianna fondly remembers all the laughter and fun at Girls on the Run. Some of her favorite moments are laughing with her teammates and coaches, and the sheer joy at the team end-of-season celebration practice, which included a spirited team water balloon fight! These moments of joy are exactly what our program aims to provide for every participant.

Now 15 years old and a sophomore in high school, Julianna moves through school, sports, and new challenges with confidence and resilience. Girls on the Run sparked her journey, her family lifted her along the way, and she shines her Star Power brighter with every stride she takes.