Hi everyone, my name is Harshita Masineni and I am so excited to be interning at Girls on the Run Bay Area this summer! Currently, I am a rising senior at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, which is in the East Bay.  

Growing up sports were a big deal to me and throughout elementary and middle school, I played numerous sports from soccer, volleyball, swim, tennis, and dance! I would say out of all the sports I tried out, volleyball and dance were my favorite. I was an outside in volleyball and I danced for around 9 years, mainly focusing on jazz and hip-hop! 

As I got into high school, I put a pause on sports, and chose to become involved in various other activities and clubs. I soon discovered teaching and over the last year I worked as a tutor, teaching kids from elementary and middle school various subjects, which grew my love for teaching and mentoring! I definitely knew I wanted to continue finding ways to engage with the youth in my community during the summer, and this is what brought me over to Girls on the Run! Truthfully, I am not the most fond of running, but I still loved the mission and message Girls on the Run promotes. I think it is vital to not only encourage more and more young girls to be involved in athletics, but also to teach them the importance of leading a life full of confidence and fulfillment. I find that Girls on the Run is a great opportunity for one to inspire a new generation of girls, and I am so excited to continue this initiative at this organization as an intern!!