Everything Under The Sun: Program Provides Leadership Skills

Monday, January 11, 2016

Program Provides Leadership Skills

Isha, participating in one of the programs, does a skit about a solution for animal cruelty.

Three new grads, young women with idealism and passion, coming from Ohio State, and out to make a contribution. That describes the threesome of Shelby Kretz, Aditi Bansal, and Sheila Maina. They didn't have far to look. The need was there in their college city of Columbus.

Looking to help the young, the threesome founded 1GIRL, a nonprofit that gives low-income middle school girls experiences in leadership development. Utilizing the background of college women, this organization provides a leadership curriculum that helps to develop the skills and confidence of the participants in order to become successful leaders. The additional benefit is allowing the girls the ability to lead successful lives.

The carefully arranged curriculum provides discussion opportunities, guest speakers, lessons, and fun activities that give the girls the development tools that they need to become confident and passionate about their leadership skills.

According to Shelby, "Women are far behind in education and leadership roles. Empowering women leads to stronger economies, healthier families, and more stable societies." The college women act as facilitators, providing a leadership example to the girls and showing where their new leadership skills can take them.

Within a year of its founding 1girl was ready to expand to other areas of Ohio, such as Kent, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron, and Cincinnati. Just recently, Shelby moved to California. With the help of the USC School of Social Work, research is being completed in fall semester prior to the launch of 1girl in Los Angeles.

A group of girls graduating from the program.

Meanwhile, various fundraisers are in progress to raise the money required to continue the work of 1girl. Last month, a team from NAVIGATOR MANAGEMENT PARTNERS competed in the Columbus Lip Sync battle and won $1,000, which they turned over to 1girl.