Girls Share
"I benefited most from it being an affirmation of who I am as a WOMAN and not a noisy little girl. Ideas of letting go of the past and clinging less to others' ideas of who I am have helped me tremendously to actually change things." LG, age 17
"How to say 'no.' How to set boundaries. My attitude changed a lot about my relationships with others." CK, 16
New friendships form at GirlSmarts
"Be myself and not let anyone especially guys tell me what to do. I learned so much information that I can share with my friends." JS, 17
"I used to judge people because I thought they were weird, but because of GirlSmarts, I realize it's OK to be 'weird.' It is actually better or more fun to not be like the rest of the people my age." AP, 16
"I've had real, genuine fun." LL, 18
"I realize who I am deep down inside." JC, 18
"I have learned SO much from this program that I can use in everyday life. I have a whole new perspective on life." SL, 18
"GirlSmarts is a very interactive, creative group for teen girls. It is very different, fun and outgoing. If I had the chance to do another GirlSmarts program I would definitely do it again." JC, 18
"I have benefited greatly from being in this group. I have just had so much time to think about everything in my life and find a way to make it better. I have a whole different perspective of life now. I never thought I could see that in such a short time." SL, age 18
"GirlSmarts is the best program. I had a blast at the retreat and the meetings. Rhonda knows how to have fun. I learned so much information that I can share with my friends. I would recommend it to any girl who wants to find answers to a problem in her life." JS, 17
"I have learned to take the time to give myself what I need. It allowed me to ask myself, 'What haven't I been doing for myself?'" AH, 17
Immersed in a creative project
"I have learned how to express myself in different ways like through artwork, meditation and writing. I think I think of things more open-minded than I did before." MMR, 17
"GirlSmarts is a program that helps you see yourself in a more positive light and express yourself better. I write a lot more and have listened to more music since this program and have given myself more 'me' time." AR, 16
"I think my attitude towards life in general has changed. I used to care what other people thought of me and now I don't really mind. I have changed some of my ideas about the 'real world.' I now know it's not as scary as people say." KLR, 15