Friday, August 9 was our last day of Go Girlz Summer Camp 2019. It was our first year piloting a summer program for 14-15 years olds transitioning into high school. We had a lot of wonderful learning experiences but the things we enjoyed most were all the connections we made! Thank you so much to our participants, their parents, and our many partners!

Many of the participants would like to continue connecting with each other. They’ve shared their contact information with one another and we’d be happy to facilitate some of these meet ups. Keep in touch with us about that, if you’d like. We have a Facebook and Instagram + our Go Girlz cell (801-300-6213). 

Participant assessment highlights: 

SELF LOVE/SELF CARE: “I learned how taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It is just self preservation.” “I really liked painting on canvas, or the yoga we did was really relaxing. The arts and crafts were also really fun.” “Self-love can be different for many people and that self-care can be small things like quiet time, brushing your teeth, watching Netflix, or taking a shower. It isn’t always baths and face masks.” 

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS: “I really like the Love Languages Quiz and the Love Letters to Self. I will always look back on this.” “I learned that it’s okay to have boundaries.” 

EMPOWERMENT & EDUCATION: “Grades start really counting in 9th grade.” “We learned about the Future Doctors program where you can dissect cadavers at the U.” “We learned that nurses can make 6 figure paychecks.” “We got to watch films in virtual reality, that made my head dizzy.” “The personal statement workshop was cool.” “Can I work at the Women’s Resource Center while I’m in high school?” 

The college futures the girls listed this summer include: Nursing, Medicine (Pediatrician & Surgeon), Environmental Science, Law, American Sign Language Interpreting, Biology, Veterinary Care, Entrepreneurship, and FBI/Law Enforcement. We also had a few undecided girls, who left with lots of new ideas to explore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Go Girlz Community Initiative is a program the Women’s Resource Center at the University of Utah developed in 2004 to provide access to higher education for girls from underserved populations close to the University. Over the years it has transformed into an initiative that seeks to intertwine the access & knowledge created by the U of U with the wealth of knowledge and passion for success that exists in the communities that surround it. We seek to provide awareness and access to higher education to all girls and femmes that want to explore the possibilities of attending a college or university.

Content provided by Flor Olivo, Program Coordinator, Women’s Resource Center, University of Utah.