Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Making History in Hendricks County!

Girls Inc. delivers first-ever program to Hendricks County girls
By Pat Wachtel, President & CEO

Girls Inc. has crossed the line – the county line, that is. This fall, we delivered our first program in Hendricks County, marking a goal for expansion we set for ourselves two years ago.

At Brownsburg West Middle School, a class of 12-14 year olds participated in a Work It Out program, which empowers girls to negotiate the conflict in their lives. Activities during the six-session program help girls build empathy towards others while challenging them to understand the consequences of hurtful behavior. Program specialist Myranda Warden commented, “Our biggest success was that this was a combination of girls who wouldn’t normally interact, yet they connected on a personal level.” Read more about this milestone.

Watch Christy Barlow, director of programs, describe how an organization becomes a Girls Inc. program partner.



Girls Inc. welcomes Brownsburg West Middle School as a partner and looks forward to delivering additional programs there during our 2010 winter and spring cycles!

Fall, By The Numbers!

Girls Inc. celebrates record-breaking fall cycle of programming
By Christy Barlow, Director of Programs

Fall 2009 was a season of new records for Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis. Our outreach model experienced immense growth as we utilized a record number of volunteers to deliver an increased number of programs to more girls than in any previous program cycle. This growth also contributed to our biggest accomplishment yet – serving over 2,500 girls with Girls Inc. programs in 2009!

Take a look at Girls Inc.'s fall programming, by the numbers!
  • 56 – the total number of Girls Inc. programs delivered this fall.
  • 32 – the total number of partners who offered Girls Inc programs this fall.
  • 9 – the number of new community partners who offered Girls Inc. programs. We were pleased to welcome IPS 58, Imagine Indiana Life Sciences Academy West, IPS 61, Starfish Initiative, Key Learning North Campus, Kaleidoscope, Concord Neighborhood Center, Brownsburg West Middle, and Heather Hills Elementary to our list of valued partners!
  • 2 – the number of new hubs that were established. Warren Township and Hendricks County are now offering Girls Inc programs!
  • 58 – the total number of volunteers who facilitated programs. In addition to individual volunteers, we were also fortunate to have both the Junior League of Indianapolis and the IU School of Nursing supply us with amazing women to deliver our programs.
  • 876 – the record number of girls who participated in Girls Inc. programs in fall!

Welcome to Girls Inc.'s VISTAs!

New VISTA members will enhance Girls Inc's public relations, special events
By Ashley Crockett-Lohr, Public Relations Coordinator

On Nov. 23, Girls Inc. welcomed two AmeriCorps VISTA members, Ashley Craig and Abri Hochstetler, to our team. Click on their names to learn more about their backgrounds and upcoming projects!


Program Spotlight -- Work It Out

Program empowers participants to negotiate conflict and be allies to each other
By Alison Schumacher, Vice President of Development and Public Relations

Girls Inc. of Greater Indianapolis delivers empowering programs to girls age 6-18 in the Indianapolis area. But what exactly are those programs? Beginning this month, we’re kicking off a series of stories detailing specific Girls Inc. programs. This month, we’ll focus on Work It Out, highlighted in our story about our new Hendricks County partnership (above).

Work It Out empowers girls to negotiate the conflict in their lives. Activities help girls build empathy towards others while challenging them to understand the consequences of hurtful behavior. All of our programs are age-appropriate, so while the overall messages fit under the same theme, the specific activities vary for each age group.
  • 6-8 year old girls learn positive aspects of friendship, how to react in a bullying situation, constructive communication and effective conflict solving.
  • 9-11 year old girls learn about sisterhood, building trust and respect, distinguishing between being mad and being mean, and being an ally to other girls who are being hurt.
  • 12-14 year old girls create a vision for positive interaction with other females, reflect on experiences through conflict scenarios, analyze the messages they receive about relationships, and learn to de-escalate anger or frustration.
Work It Out was one of the most popular programs chosen by our partners in 2009. Our programs are delivered by highly trained facilitators using Girls Inc. curriculum at our program partners’ facilities, and are offered on a rotating calendar during fall, winter, spring, and summer program cycles. They range from 4-6 sessions and are each in a one hour format. Visit our website to learn more about volunteering or other programs.

Featured Supporter -- Efroymson Family Fund

Support from Efroymson Family Fund empowers girls to "work it out"
By Kristen Bax, AmeriCorps VISTA Grant Writing Specialist

In Girls Inc.’s Work it Out program, girls define the attributes that make a good friend. Through an interactive activity, they create a “good friendship application” to list the qualities a good friend should possess. Some qualities include being kind, funny, and honest. Elle, age 10, said the program taught her “how to treat others fairly and how to have fun in a respectful way.”


The generous support of funders like the Efroymson Family Fund, a donor-advised fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation, allows Girls Inc. to provide empowering programs like Work it Out to greater Indianapolis girls. The Efroymson Fund awarded a grant to Girls Inc. in support of our outreach expansion efforts. This gift will help Girls Inc. reach more girls throughout the greater Indianapolis area with our creative, educational programming.

Many thanks to the Efroymson Family Fund for its continued support of Girls Incorporated of Greater Indianapolis!

Volunteer Profiles


"Girls Inc. gives them a safe environment to share feelings.”

Read more...



Katie Shaw
"I wanted them to know now what I wish I would have known then.”

Read more...

Tell A Girl Tip

Tell a girl she can be a great friend to her peers.


If you take a moment to tell a girl all the remarkable things you see in her, not only will she believe you, she'll also start to believe in herself.

Just A Reminder...



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