Our Youth Program

Our FREE self-esteem program helps young girls discover their strengths and realize their potential.

Testimonials from our young ladies when asked "What was the greatest thing I learned today"…

• Hunter Hanks (age 10): To believe in myself.
• Sarah White (age 13): That I have the courage I never knew I had.
• Kasidy Walker (age 12) I'm amazing in many ways.
• Nicole Osuna (age 10): Be yourself and women are as great as men.
• Natalie Gonzalez (age 11): To be myself and women are good at things too.
• Cailyn (age 9): That you should follow your dreams even when people tell you no.
• Alesha Aguilar (age 16): That no matter what obstacles come in your path of life, if you have faith in yourself and enough determination, you can overcome anything.
• Janice Castro (age 17): People talk to us and listen
• Ingrid Larin (age 17): Was to not give up on myself and that it is possible for anyone to be something in life.
• Victoria F (age 14): To love myself no matter what. I also learned that everyone is special.
• Sierra Henderson: If I trust myself, I can do better at everything I do.
• Rebecca Flores (age 17): It takes confidence, desire and determination to achieve that which seems impossible.

We invite guest speakers and female role models to address many of the issues young girls encounter from peer pressure to not measuring up in terms of looks, school and relationships. The following statistics indicate the challenges girls are facing today.

Dove Campaign for Real Beauty (Unilever)

• 75% of teenage girls felt 'depressed, guilty and shameful' after spending just three minutes leafing through a fashion magazine.
• 70% of girls ages 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities such as attending school, going to the doctor, or even giving their opinion "due to feeling badly about one’s looks.
• While only 19% of teenage girls are "overweight," 67% think they "need to lose weight"

 National Association for Self-Esteem:

• 90% of eating disorders are found in girls

Girls Inc., The Supergirl Dilemma: Girls Grapple with the Mounting Pressure of Expectations, 2006:

• 3 out of 4 girls say they feel pressure to be "super girls"
• 74% say they often feel stressed

According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) statistics, nearly 210,000 cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed on people age 13-19 in 2009.

• 8 million people in the US suffer from an eating disorders
• 90% are women/girls
• 8 out 10 women are not happy with their reflection
• 80% of girls are afraid of being fat
• more than 50% of 10 year old girls wish they were thinner
• In our lifetime 50,000 girls will die as a direct result of their Eating Disorder
• The current media ideal of thinness is achieved by less than 5% of the female population

 A negative body image can foster feelings of depression, hopelessness and anxiety. It will affect a girl’s self-confidence, self-acceptance and self-worth. We are in a unique position of influence to help young girls build a positive body image and boost their self-esteem to be the best that they can be.

You can support our Youth Program with Your Sponsorship here!