Dear Friends,

Thank you for an amazing start to the new year! During the holiday season 87 of you donated a total of $42,400 to our Annual Fund Campaign, four times the support that we received last year. Because of you we were matched with another $42,400, allowing GLI to hire our first Development Director next month. Because of you we can offer more scholarships for families in need.  Because of you we are able to pilot a new program to help parents of daughters raise resilient girls.

To Ann and Andrew Tisch, who funded this match, thank you for helping us change the face of leadership.

Read on to learn about all the great programs that are already under way in 2013, from camp reunion to professional development. In addition, new GLI blogger and GLI alumna Emily Sannini recalls lessons from her first GLI summer in 2006.

I hope that we get to see you soon.

All my best,

Simone Marean
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Girls Leadership Institute

Girl Meets World Professional Development Training in Spring 2013 in Boston, MA

Are you looking for professional development in the areas of girls’ leadership, aggression in girls, or  psychology of girls? Have you always wanted to spend three days with GLI Co-Founder Rachel Simmons?

Registration is now open for GLI’s renowned Girl Meets World training!

The Girl Meets World curriculum teaches middle and high school  girls critical skills for authentic self-expression, emotional self-awareness, and interpersonal efficacy.
When: May 1-3, 2013
Where: Simmons College, Boston, MA
Who Should Come:educators, administrators, clinicians, coaches, graduate students, youth volunteers and other youth professionals

Click here for the program schedule and to apply now! Please contact Alana Garcia at (410) 878-2258 ext. 1 or email alana@girlsleadership.org with any questions.

Shout Outs to our Generous Sponsors!

At GLI we always say, “food good!” and we want to take this opportunity to also say a big “thank you!” to our sponsors for their generous donations of meals and snacks. We are grateful to the following companies for their support and partnership.

Colorado:
Eco Products
Eldorado Artisan Springs, Inc
Izze
Moe’s Bagels
Noodles & Company
Oogave
Outrageous Baking Company
Ozo Coffee

New Jersey:
Able Baker, Maplewood
Bagel Chateau, Maplewood
Costco, Union
Starbucks, Montclair
Village Coffee, Maplewood
Whole Foods, Montclair

If you are interested in sponsoring snacks or supplies at a workshop near you, please contact jenmarie@girlsleadership.org. Every dollar we save on expenses goes directly to scholarships.

Reunited and It Felt So Good! – By Michelle Gonzalez, GLI Reunion Counselor

This past weekend, Girls Leadership Institute campers and staff met up in New York City for a weekend getaway to the YMCA Retreat Center in Huguenot, New York. Old friends caught up, new friendships were formed, and we were all reminded of what makes GLI such a special part of our lives.  From a roaring round of Awoo before a game of Poopdeck in the snow, to s’mores by the fire, to the GLI shopping game that had us all exploring our dreams and values, and a fashion show turned dance party, the weekend was an absolute blast!  As we reminisced on memories from the summer and filled our friends in on life back home, it was like no time had passed. GLI is, of course, about so much more.  During the T-Shirt Tango, we were asked to fill in the blank for the sentence, “To me, GLI means _____.”  As I stood with my group and listened to their responses, one thing was clear: GLI is something we all cherish and hold on to because it represents something special in our lives, whether that be acceptance, love, or family.

It’s Okay to Like Your Picture: The Story Behind a GLI Mantra – By Emily Sannini

In 1st grade, I was standing outside of my classroom after we had just finished up a big art project, and I found myself getting sucked into a ritual that will sound familiar to a lot of girls. Three female friends and I stood around in a circle holding our projects and criticizing them. “Oh my gosh, my picture is so ugly.” “Oh my gosh, no, Jenny, your picture is so pretty; mineis so ugly!” “Oh my gosh no!! Ali! Your picture is so pretty! Mineis so ugly!” and so on. I stayed silent, because I was satisfied with the picture I had drawn. But there is no way to participate in this ubiquitous girl conversation if you think your work is good. Not that it’s ground-breaking, not that it’s better than everybody else’s, but just that it’s any good at all. Continue reading the blog here.

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