How Emily Roy Is Inspiring Self-Confidence in Young Girls
When not leading accounting and finance at RSCS, Emily Roy spends two days a week as a Coach with Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization that offers programs designed to inspire girls of all abilities to recognize and embrace their inner strength and make meaningful connections with others.
“I had just moved to the area and wanted to be involved in the community,” explains Emily Roy, Director of Accounting and Finance at RSCS. Trained volunteer coaches like Emily use physical activity and dynamic discussions to build social, emotional, and physical skills while encouraging healthy habits for life.
“I enjoy volunteering. I’ve been fostering dogs through Paws New England for a while now. I’ve fostered 14 dogs and helped place them in forever homes, but I also want to help people,” says Emily. She looked at various programs and contacted Girls on the Run. Initially, they did not have an open position, but soon enough, the Marston Elementary School program in Hampton, NH, needed a coach. Twice a week, Emily goes to the school to work with girls in grades three to five.
There is more to volunteering than just helping at practices, though. Emily spends time beforehand reading lesson plans, setting up supplies, and assisting girls with a community project. “The girls placed post-it notes with encouraging words around the school for their community project.”
What Emily enjoys most about volunteering for the program is simply being with the girls. “They come up and talk to me and tell me how their day is going. They are sweet girls, and I find the whole experience rewarding.”
The 8-week program culminates in a 5K race run by 500 Girls on the Run participants across New Hampshire. Although the fall program will end in November, Emily looks forward to volunteering for the spring season.
“Girls on the Run is about more than running,” says Emily. “It’s about embracing star power, going at your own happy pace, and encouraging each other. I wish I had something like that when I was growing up.”
RSCS encourages employees to give back to their communities by participating in volunteer programs. To find volunteer opportunities in your community, visit www.volunteermatch.org.