Author Archives: Girls Inc. Admin
¡Yadira, Girls Inc. está orgullosa de usted!
I would be a great Cinco de Mayo Queen because I have the motivation that is needed to achieve great things in our community. I am also committed to helping to improve our community. I understand that we, the young people, have the power to change the future and I am ready to begin.
For years I have made it a point to take leadership roles. The first step I took in that direction was joining Girls Incorporated of Omaha. They believe in young women like me and help me to be strong, smart, and bold. With their help I have achieved great things like becoming a board member, traveling the United States, and meeting the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. I have also done leadership camps, drama camps, and participated in Corporate Camp. Corporate Camp is a camp where a group of 4 to 5 girls ages 13 to18 work together to create a small business. This camp teaches leadership, teamwork and a specific responsibility. I was in charge of the public relations part of it and even thought we did not win, we received 2nd place.
From all of these opportunities provided by Girls Inc., I’ve learned how to be a team player, how to resolve conflicts that may arise with teammates, and how to be a leader. I also learned organizational skill, time management, and public speaking. At school, I show leadership qualities when participating in class projects or group presentations.
I believe that becoming the Cinco de Mayo Queen will take me in the right direction to better my future and those around me because I will have the opportunity to be a role model for others. I am proud to participate in an organization that helps keep our Mexican history alive—not just in the textbooks.
I am grateful to be given the opportunity to be a part of such wonderful programs such as this. I will continue to strive for success and find ways to help out where I may be needed. I hope to hear the great news from you soon.
Thank you,
Yadira Cardenas
Congratulations National Scholars!
Girls Inc. members Treasure Pascal, Makay Weliyo, and D’Anshanique Gregory are each recipients of a $2,500 Lucile Miller Wright Scholarship from Girls Inc. national.
The Scholars Program was created in 1992 when Lucile Miller Wright, a long-time supporter of Girls Incorporated, made a bequest from her estate to fund scholarships expressly for young women members.
Since 1993, Girls Inc. national has awarded over $2.58 million in scholarships to over 400 high school women. Multiple scholarships ($2,500 and $15,000) are awarded each year and may be applied to tuition and expenses at any accredited 2- or 4-year college or university.
The purpose of the Scholars Program is to make post-secondary education more accessible by offsetting the financial costs. The goal is to inspire members to succeed in school and to consider a broad range of career possibilities
Ms. Stephanie & Her Mentee, Amya
My mentee is Amya, a very sweet 10-year-old girl. I would have to say what makes our relationship so easy is the fact that Amya attends Girls Inc. so we are able to see each other daily. Also, it helps that Amya and I live 10 minutes apart from one another, which allows us to get together more often. Another thing that enables us to have a close relationship is that Amya has a cell phone so we communicate daily and set up plans with one another via text or with a phone call. Amya has a younger sister, Asia which can be a tricky situation but whenever her sister has accompanied us it has always been Amya’s choice. I make it a point to spend time with Amya as much as I can and when the time and situation allows her little sister Asia comes with us.
Amya and I have gone to the movies. We went to Transformers 3, which was her choice J. We’ve gone to a relative’s birthday party; we’ve gone shopping at the Westroads or Oak View Mall. We’ve played Bocci Ball; gone to church together; gone to my mom’s house to hang out; listened to music; and had a water gun fight. We’ve gone out to eat at Red Robins, Burger King, Jimmy Johns, etc… One of the places we like to go is Sonics because we can sit in the car and just chat.
One thing I like about Amya is that even though at times she is an old soul she can still be a kid and play with younger children and let herself have fun. She is an awesome big sister – always looking out for her little sister Asia. We don’t have to be doing anything just hanging out and that is just fine with her. Amya just enjoys spending time with me even if that means sitting outside together talking, or watching her shows on Disney Channel like So Random, Good Luck Charlie, My Babysitter’s a Vampire or Shake it Up!
Amya is a such a sweet, thoughtful, loving, kind, funny, caring, young lady and I am blessed to have her as my mentee.
I am so glad that I became a Pathfinders Mentor – it has added such wonderful experiences and memories to my life. – Stephanie Lewis
Girls Inc. staff member and Pathfinders Mentor
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Ebony and Ellionsai, Girls Inc. of Omaha basketball players, think it’s great to be girl athletes and have athletic role models. As athletes, they’ll tell you that good grades, paying attention in school, and staying away from negative behavior is as important as practice. Ellionsai says, “It’s important to know that when I graduate from high school, I have opportunities for sports scholarships too.”
“I’m really excited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX and looking forward to making the next 40 years even better!” says Girls Inc. of Omaha Program Director Emily Mwaja.
Making a Gumball Machine
Using a sheet of cardstock, a takeout box, popsicle sticks, 2 skewers, 3 washers, Dixie cups, and a small glass bowl, the girls made their very own gumball machines in Techbridge. This activity was listed as a “favorite” of many of the girls. They loved using the tools – rulers, scissors, tape, X-acto knives, glue guns, and snips to put all of the pieces together and create a machine that actually works.
Check out our Girls Inc. of Omaha facebook page to see an album of photos from this activity.
Parent Testamonial for GIRLStart literacy
Give Girls Inc. GIRLStart program a huge kudos. I went to Taylor’s parent teacher conference and came out in tears. Taylor’s report card was outstanding. I want to especially point out the Student Criterion reading assessments scores from last semester she advanced in all areas with a proficient in vowel clusters. Again thank you Ms. Kim, Ms. Mara, Ms. Tess as well as the Girls Inc. staff.
– Precious McKesson
My Ideal Teacher
The girls write about their ideal teachers.
“I want my ideal teacher to be nice and do more math and [sic] sicince and [sic] sousho stades and more class and more play time. And she can give us…” – here the Girls Inc. member runs out of space. Turn the paper over to read what the ideal teacher gives her students: “[sic] mony.
Page 1 (above) and turned over for page 2 (below).
Girls Design Rube Goldberg Fish Feeders in Tech Bridge
From Wikipedia: A Rube Goldberg machine, device, or apparatus is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction. The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883-1970).
The girls designed elaborate, comical machines using pulleys, levers, dropping marbles, planes, inclines, fulcrums – you name it and they used it!
Build IT
As part of the STEM program Build IT, the girls are creating message boards and blog accounts where they are able to chat live with each other. During this session they learned how to develop a clear theme for a blog, making it easy to navigate and including at least four images and four links to external sources.
“Sensations” Validation! Back-to-School Celebration
Thanks to Sensations Hair Salon, DIVAS R US (Lavern Crump), and Compassion in Action (Teela A. Mickles) 8 teenage girls, including Girls Inc. members, received a day of pampering, refreshments, and free gifts to help them feel special and prepared to go back to school. The collaboration was an effort to reach out and remind youth that they are “valued, special, and important to the community.” The girls received hair styles (stylists: Neya Richards and Netta McDavid), a pair of free shoes from Divas R US, a t-shirt, pizza and soda.
The girls are special and so are the members of our community who recognize that! Thank you for the Back-to-School celebration.
Here Girls Inc. member Marquisha shares the results of her hair styling:
