Naming our feelings is powerful. That’s true even—or especially—when we’re hurting. School has just begun, and already we’re faced with the horrifying tragedy of another school shooting. We have been bombarded with an overwhelm of news, memorials, and arguments. In order to re-establish equilibrium, we want to invite our community to join us in naming …
A foundational piece of our work at Girls Leadership is to create brave spaces – communities where all girls and gender-expansive youth feel seen, accepted, and loved by peers and adults – in person and online. Brave spaces are crucial because they allow for vulnerability, the safety to take risks, mess up, reflect, and recover, …
Last week during a staff meeting, we played a game called “Set Those Boundaries”. It was a game co-designed with girls in our Power Lab school in New York and included several scenarios where we had to make a decision about setting a boundary to create healthier relationships with ourselves and others. The game brought …
We knew we wanted to create an extra special “camp” to bring joy and healing into the lives of high school students in Queens, NY, before the start of the school year. While it can always be hard for girls in 8th grade through 12th grade, this year all of the “normal” teenage hardships are …
We’re back! After taking our first-ever summer wellness break for three weeks, we are back this week, and finding that work groove again. You know it was a real break when you forget what computer programs you use to do your job. We took that kind of break. This three-week hiatus was inspired by the …
The importance of social-emotional learning and wellness in school and at home has never felt more urgent for families and educators. And while we realize that family workshops and professional development may feel like another thing to do amidst the chaos, one thing we hear repeatedly from our educators and families is that Girls Leadership …
As we close out this school year and get ready for summer activities, we talked with educators about what’s needed most as they wrap up two of the most challenging years of teaching. To address the unprecedented need of both teachers and young students alike, Dr. Kendra Carr, our Chief Program Officer, worked with our …
Try exercises from our collection of Social-Emotional Check-ins for In-Person Learning to help jumpstart conversation and connection with the youth you serve. If you’re an educator, coach, or family service provider, check out our full collection of Social-Emotional Check-ins for Distance Learning or sign up for our Professional Development Training, which includes 90+ ready-to-use lessons …
After the chaos and disconnect of the past 18 months, students — especially girls — need community, connections, and grounding more than ever. Even before COVID, gender expectations, which many speculate are heightened by social media engagement, led to girls experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress at about three times the rate of boys. This mental …
It’s hard to believe that back-to-school season is here. Many districts around the U.S. are now in session and others will follow over the next several weeks. And given that the pandemic is far from over, educators will be on the front lines, helping families navigate stress and uncertainty while also executing curriculum, supporting students, …
