Who we are

Girls learn to manage money, invest, and begin to develop an appreciation for global economics.  Girls as young as six explore how the economy affects us locally and globally and develop skills needed to be economically independent.  Girls learn these skills through four age-appropriate components:  "She’s on the Money", "Dollars, Sense and Me", "Equal Earners, Savvy Spenders", and "Futures and Options".

Girls develop skills to resist pressure to use harmful substances such as alcohol, tobacco, household chemicals, and other drugs.  In this peer-education program, girls ages 11 to 14 learn healthy ways to manage stress and confront peer, media, and other pressures and then assume the roles of PEERsuaders for young girls.  

Girls Inc. Healthy Sexuality will assist girls in understanding and embracing sexuality with a positive, empowered approach that is built on a foundation of accurate information, cultural sensitivity, and values of inclusiveness and respect. Girls will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to take charge of and to make informed, thoughtful decisions about their sexual health.

Girls build their leadership skills and create lasting social change through community action projects. In "Discovery", girls celebrate the heritage of girls and women as leaders and develop awareness of themselves as community resources and trustees of the common good. In "In Our Own Hands" girls ages deepen their understanding of girls and women as social change agents and of leadership as a collective process grounded in belonging to and having responsibility for one's community.

Girls increase their awareness of the scope and power of the media and the effects of media messages on girls and women. They learn to analyze critically what they see and hear in the media, advocate for change in entertainment, news, and advertising media, and create images that are more realistic and reflective of their lives. Components of the program include: "Media and Me", "Media Smarts", "Girls Take Another Look", "Girls Get the Message", and "Girls Make the Message".

Girls develop enthusiasm for and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  Through hands-on activities, girls explore, ask questions, and solve problems.  They also consider careers in these fields by interacting with women and men pursuing such careers.  Components of the program include: Eureka!, Girls Dig It, and Thinking SMART.

Girls learn skills and strategies to lead safer lives in their homes, in relationships, in their communities, and online. Girls learn specific self-defense techniques and how to seek out and talk to caring adults about personal violence. Older girls also take on a community action project to advocate for a safer world for all women and girls. Components of the program include "Be BOLD" ,"Action for Safety" and "Living Safe and Strong".

Girls learn to appreciate an active lifestyle as they develop movement and athletic skills, cooperative and competitive spirit, health awareness, and interest in sports and adventure.  Girls also explore career opportunities related to sports and experience the benefits and excitement of taking healthy risks.  Through three age-appropriate components—"Steppingstones", "Bridges", and "Girls encourage" —girls build a foundation for a lifetime of enjoying physical activity and participation in sports and adventure.

The Girls Inc. Literacy Initiative strives to improve the literacy skills of girls in kindergarten through third grade (K-3) by promoting a love of reading and providing fun and engaging programming that supports the school-based instruction that girls receive. 

The Literacy Initiative supports girls in building developmentally appropriate reading skills by the end of third grade so that they are equipped to succeed in school and participate more effectively in the Girls Inc. Experience.  Further, girls develop enthusiasm for reading as a tool to learn about the world and become healthy, educated, and independent.

Girls have the right to accept and appreciate their bodies, and are entitled to thrive in communities that invest in their total physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Girls need access to information, resources, and skills to be effective partners in promoting their own healthy development. To help ensure that girls have the support that they need to take charge of their own health, Girls Inc. has launched "Girls Inc. Mind+Body", which focuses on four pillars that, according to research, play a major role in fortifying girls’ ability to develop and sustain strong minds and strong bodies. They are: nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and body image.

“Trusting Mentoring Relationships” is one of the essential elements of the Girls Inc. Experience.  It is a powerful and developmental tool that encourages and supports girls emotionally, academically and socially in achieving goals and reaching their highest potential. 

Girls Inc. utilizes a “Group Mentoring Model” which enhances the girls’ ability to share experiences, learn and grow with their peers and gain the confidence to pursue desired aspirations.