Rotary Log: June 13, 2013

June 13 was a great day for a Rotary meeting, but before we get to that, here is a very special announcement:

Aileen Dugan introduced today’s speakers from Girls Inc. http://www.girlsinc.org  or http://girlsincnewhampshire.org

Inspiring Girls to be Smart, Strong and Bold

Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through life-changing programs and experiences that help girls navigate gender, economic, and social barriers.

Mark Adamy, the Board Chairman for Girls Inc., who is also the VP Marketing at Comcast and Portsmouth resident, gave us this background on Girls Inc.

Their mantra is research-based curriculum, delivered by trained, mentoring professionals in a positive all-girl environment equip girls to achieve academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money; navigate media messages; and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. They encourage girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual and emotional challenges.

Major programs address math and science education, pregnancy and drug abuse prevention, media literacy, economic literacy, adolescent health, violence prevention, and sports participation.

The Girls Inc movement started in New England during the Industrial Revolution as a response to the needs of a new working class: young women who had migrated from rural communities in search of newly available job opportunities in textile mills and factories.

The network of local Girls Inc. nonprofit organizations serves 136,000 girls ages 6 - 18 annually across the United States and Canada. The Portsmouth School Department has agreed to work in partnership with Girls Inc in the Fall of 2013: middle school and all 3 elementary schools.

The Manchester NH group had these fantastic statistics to share about their Girls:

·         12 graduated teen leadership

·         20 schools had educational outreach

·         75 competed literacy programs

·         130 children had dinners nightly

·         200 passed through the door to the cafeteria daily

·         500 attend summer camps

Girls Inc. delivers life-changing programs that inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Research-based curricula, delivered by trained professionals, equip girls to achieve academically; lead healthy and physically active lives; manage money; navigate media messages; and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. The network of local Girls Inc. nonprofit organizations serves 136,000 girls ages 6-18 annually at over 1,400 sites in 350 cities across the United States and Canada.

Mark Adamy then introduced Cathy Duffy-Cullity, CEO of Girls Inc. NH, who has been in this leadership role for the past 15 years. She received the national organization's first ever award for "Excellence in Leadership".

Cathy discussed the 4 top reasons girls have issues and their main worries:

·         Divorce

·         Bullying and cyber-bullying

·         Weight

·         If I have grades to go to college, how will I afford it.

She used simple terms for everyday solutions:

·         We need to listen – take the time to truly listen to what others say

·         You need to be available

·         Validate feelings

·         Basic needs need to be met: food & shelter

·         Give them the opportunity for their voice to be heard at higher places

·         Give them the opportunity to learn and give back

·         Positive reinforcement is powerful and kind.

Girls Inc programs celebrate the success of girls!

The meeting ended with Ben Wheeler winning the raffle. Wait a minute, doesn’t he also SELL the tickets, or at least he is at the table where the can is and by the way, this is not the first time he has won…There goes the Bulletin again, trying to be the mecca of investigative journalism.