Girl Power

When you think of females who are making a difference in the world, names like Angelina, Madonna and Oprah rise to the top. Now you can add 12-year-old Stephanie Cruz and 16-year-old Briana Allen to the list of women improving the well-being of society.

Stephanie and Briana, along with many of their peers, are members of Girls for a Change (GFC), a national organization that empowers thousands of teens to create and lead social change. Whitney Smith, co-CEO, founded GFC in Santa Clara County, Calif., in 2000 based on the belief that girls are powerful and unique resources for conquering the problems of society.

While the organization welcomes all girls, they often focus on young ladies who live in low-income communities, drawing mostly Latina girls as well as African Americans, whites and Indians to work along side one another to solve problems. It provides them with the tools, resources and support to design, lead, fund and implement action projects that tackle issues in their neighborhoods. “Research supports the fact that girls want to and care about changing the world. Social change is the greatest byproduct of Girls for a Change,” Smith says. “The projects the girls create directly reflect their diverse cultures and unique problems in their own communities.”

Leading by example, professional adult women help inspire and coach the GFC teams, typically made up of five to 10 girls.

The girls meet in October with their coaches and “graduate” in the spring when they present their projects. Currently, there are 45 GFC teams in the Silicon Valley and 20 in Phoenix developing projects that address several social concerns. Past projects have included raising awareness about animal cruelty, teen pregnancy, homelessness, gang violence and the effects of immigration laws.

A Movement of Change

During the project process, many of the girls experience a transformation of personal growth, from developing unlikely relationships to finding their voice, core values GFC believes are key elements in creating social change. Briana, a sophomore at Independence High School in Glendale, Ariz., has worked on two GFC teams, the first that focused attention on racism and violence and this year’s project, teenage abuse. She says GFC has helped her overcome shyness and given her more confidence to express herself.

“The experience has been life-altering for me. I’ve come out of my shell and have developed a bigger network of friends. I more outspoken now,” she says. “I didn’t think my opinion mattered before. When GFC along, I realized that it did matter.”

Michele Pino, age 47, has been a volunteer GFC coach since the program launched in Phoenix in 2006. Her current team at Orangedale Elementary Middle School is developing an illness prevention campaign and Pino continues to be amazed at the evolution of the girls as they work together.

“I’ve observed these young women mature. It’s amazing to see them think through an issue, put actions in place and watch their confidence grown. I can only imagine what they will be like when they get to be in high school and beyond,” says the real estate agent.

Stephanie, a seventh-grader at Ocala Middle School in San Jose, Calif., is a member of a GFC team investigating the effects of body image on young girls. Her team is conducting video interviews with “real” girls at local malls about the way they feel about the way they look compared to standard ideals of beauty.

Once completed, the team plans to send a video to national TV shows, including Oprah, the Trya Branks Show and Ellen, to draw attention to the problem.

Though she wasn’t that interested in joining GFC two years ago, Stephanie says by participating in the program she’s become a better person. “Before GFC, I was a bit snobby and not so nice to other girls,” she says. “I am now more aware of others, and how they think and feel. I’m also more comfortable talking to other girls about their issues and mine.”

Katie Broughton, 22, a senior at San Jose State who is studying sociology, feels it’s important to be a role model for younger girls, and that GFC creates a social chain-reaction among all women. “I want girls to know that they have power.”

My team is so smart. In the beginning they were a bit unfocused but they’ve learned to harness their energy,” says Broughton, who coaches Stephanie’s team. “They are developing as leaders, becoming more respectful and patient, and learning to be part of a group.” The college student has learned a few life lessons, too. “I love the girl’s body image project. It’s helped me to look at myself differently. I’ve also become more patient through the process.”

Developing Worth

While GFC projects help girls build important decision-making and problem-solving skills, there’s another profound and, perhaps, most important, take-away: a fundamental belief that they can make a worthy investment in the world.

“At first I didn’t think I could help make a change,” Stephanie says. “Now I know that it is easy to make a change.” Briana has also tapped an inner strength that drives her motivation to solve serious peer challenges. “I see girls in school every day that are experiencing abuse. We need to get the word out. Through GFC, I’ve learned that I’ve have something to say—and that I am a good leader.”