PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULA UMAÑAAtlanta
New program in Archdiocese of Atlanta helps students grow in faith
By NATALIA DURON | Published August 5, 2026 | En Español
ATLANTA — A new initiative designed to help children and teenagers deepen their relationship Christ is available in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
Run to Jesus, a program available in English and Spanish, teaches students from pre-K to high school to remain faithful while facing everyday struggles. The program can be offered for archdiocesan schools, retreats, ministries and parish faith formation groups.
Led by Catholic speaker and author Paula Umaña, Run to Jesus combines her testimony with discussions on the challenges young people face today to remind students that “Jesus is not only someone students learn about in religion class, but their closest friend and greatest source of hope.”
“Children and young people make more than 30,000 decisions every day,” Umaña said. “The goal is that, in each of those decisions, they remember to run to Jesus.”
Umaña, a former professional tennis player from Costa Rica, is the host of EWTN’s “Gifts of Hope” television series and spoke at the National Eucharistic Revival in 2024.
After a rare neurological illness left her paralyzed, she began sharing her testimony of faith and perseverance with Catholic audiences throughout the United States and Latin America. Umaña has led Run to Jesus workshops in New York, California and Costa Rica.
Each workshop consists of presentations tailored to the age of the group, with presentations lasting 30 minutes for preschoolers and 45 minutes to an hour for elementary, middle and high school students.
Topics of each presentation include technology, social media, bullying, anxiety, friendship, peer pressure, disabilities, perseverance and making decisions rooted in faith. Students are invited to participate in the workshop through storytelling, music, games, prayer and age-appropriate activities.
“The goal is that, through my personal testimony, they begin to see themselves in the story and recognize the challenges in their own lives,” Umaña said.
At the conclusion of each workshop, participants receive a Miraculous Medal and a yellow tennis ball as reminders that “whenever life becomes difficult, they can always run to Jesus,” said Umaña.
To schedule a Run to Jesus event for your school or parish, visit www.PaulaSpeaker.com, or contact Paula Umaña at paulaUmañaspeaker@gmail.com, 404-695-0053.
