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Girls Rule! 2010 Activities and Achievements

Highlights

Economic Empowerment

Girls Rule! was selected to support Mayor Daley’s Youth Ready initiative. We helped young ladies ages 16 – 23 year old to explore career pathways, master job readiness skill sets and define the types of women they would like to become, complete with goals and a tangible roadmap to meet their future goals.

During the summer of 2010, Girls Rule! was asked to delivered a number of 6 week workshops to young ladies who were CPS high school students and CHA residents. Workshop topics included business etiquette, conflict resolution, self esteem enhancement and professional development. Girls Rule! has been asked to extend and expand its programming to include multiple Chicago Housing Authority sites due to its effectiveness.

Community Engagement

Girls Rule! participants served as volunteers at the Spoonful of Hope soup kitchen on Chicago’s south-side. Young ladies served meals to over 200 homeless men, women and children. Participants were extremely moved by this experience and are planning to deliver regular support to this community organization.

Girls Rule! participants examined community challenges and barriers that impact the future success of youth, then developed strategies to overcome them while engaging their peer in the process.

Girls Rule! learned about social entrepreneurship during a visit to Sweet Beginnings,llc and developed their own socially impactful business strategies to address challenges faced by youth within urban communities.

Culture/Arts

Girls Rule! implemented it’s summer Etiquette Series: Know Your Destination. Young ladies ages 7 - 14 who reside in the Chicagoland area began working and learning together, defining the type of women they would like to become while developing an understanding of the ways in which mastery of social protocols will help them to fulfill their vision.

Girls Rule! launched it's Great Destinations Adventure Project - a program designed to provide members with exposure to arts and cultural programs, often the first of its kind for many young ladies, especially those residing in economically depressed and urban communities. These types of exciting and engaging cultural field trips boost creativity while also introducing participants to a more varied view the world around them and it's possibilities.

Once again the Girls Rule’s Etiquette Imperative was selected by the Chicago Defender and the Bud Billiken Selection Committee to deliver etiquette coaching to this year’s Bud Billiken King, Queen and Court. Two members of Girls Rule! demonstrated their leadership, mentorship and public speaking skills as they shared their knowledge of etiquette protocols and served as peer mentors to the Court while assisting Executive Director, Ladon Brumfield as she facilitated the 2 day etiquette workshop to the group.

Girls Rule! 2009 Activities and Achievements

We’ve been busy! Girls Rule has made wonderful strides this year to deliver fun, creative and innovative and IMPACTFUL "girl-centric" programs and activities for young ladies residing in urban communities.

Highlights

Economic Empowerment

Girls Rule! launched the Bringin' Books Back Book Store which feature American Girl Publications! The book store was created to provide real world business and entrepreneural exposure to Girls Rule! participants and to support the efforts of the Bringin' Books Back Book Club and other Girls Rule! programming.

Girls Rule! delivered the EYE for Change program. Participants explored the world of entrepreneurship and developed their very own business plans.

Community Engagement

Girls Rule! members developed a new program called, “The Bringin’ Books Back Book Club” to enhance literacy amongst girls. This program consisted of regularly scheduled book club meetings where girls gathered to make friends and discuss their favorite books. In order to cultivate a love of reading in children ages 2 – 6, Girls Rule! members hosted quarterly “read in's” where they provided fun activities and made literature come alive for participants.

Political/Civic Engagement

Girls Rule! members planned and implemented their first annual Officer Election process. Candidates developed their electoral platform and campaign speeches. All participants learned about the electoral process, registered to vote and casted their confidential ballots.

Culture/Arts

Girls Rule! delivered a series of (5) five workshops called The 2009 Etiquette Imperative Program; to more than 25 African American young ladies ages 7 - 14 who resided in a variety of communities such as South Shore, Englewood, Austin and Chatham just to name a few. The program helped young ladies to articulate and document future life goals and to understand the impact of that 'soft skills" such as social graces, poise and grace, communication etiquette and personal style play in attaining their life goals. The parents of each participant also participated in an etiquette workshop and received tools by which they could continue the cycle of learning at home. The session culminated with an elegant dining experience at American Girl Place where young ladies demonstrated their newly learned skills.

The Girls Rule’s Etiquette Imperative was selected by the Chicago Defender and the Bud Billiken Selection Committee to deliver etiquette coaching to the 2009 Bud Billiken King, Queen and Court. Two members of Girls Rule! demonstrated their leadership, mentorship and public speaking skills as they shared their knowledge of etiquette protocals and served as peer mentors to the Court while assisting Executive Director, Ladon Brumfield as she facilitated the 2 day etiquette workshop to the group.

Girls Rule! 2008 Activities and Achievements

As a direct result of your financial support, words of encouragement and prayers, the Girls Rule! program provided a multitude of activities, experiences and opportunities to young ladies to enhance the quality of their own lives in 2008. Following are just a few highlights.

Highlights

Social Justice/Economic Empowerment/Environmental Awareness

Girls Rule! members attended the Green Pathways Out of Poverty symposium at the DuSable Museum were they met New York Times Bestselling author, national green economy activist Van Jones. Van Jones is currently Special Advisor to President Barack Obama for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Girls Rule! had fun exploring fashion, food and art while expanding their understanding of the environment at the 2008 GreenFestival at Navy Pier. In the weeks following the meeting the young ladies created an environmental action plan; which included development of an energy efficiency audit and they also produced and packaged their own all natural beauty products.

Community Engagement

Girls Rule! members organized, planned and implemented the “Kids Nite Out” fundraiser to support the school supply needs of Carnegie Elementary school students and the Girls Rule! program.

Girls Rule! participants assisted with organization of the HIV Awareness program: “What We Are Dying To Know!” youth symposium which provided age appropriate body image and HIV Awareness workshops to young ladies and gentlemen ages
7 – 18.

Culture/Arts/World Studies

Girls Rule! members studied the world around them by exploring Asian culture, agriculture, history and science. Their studies culminated with a trip to Chicago's China Town where they continued their exploration of art, fashion and Asian culinary arts while sharing an elegant dining experience together.

Political/Civic Engagement

Girls Rule! members shared their individual experience supporting the
2008 Presidential campaign while working in the battle ground state of Indiana.

We look forward to your support as we endeavor to accomplish even more in 2009!

Girls in Green!

Girls Rule help to build Green communities!