Young People Can Change the World!
Gender socialization & bias begins at a young age for girls. This can negatively impact a girl’s belief in her ability, her view of what constitutes a leader, her overall confidence, and what talents she cultivates and careers she pursues. As a result, leadership development, economic mobility and education equity are stifled.
Although there are middle and high school comprehensive leadership programs for boys in Alabama, there are no comprehensive leadership programs that are specifically designed for middle to high school-aged girls. Research has shown that girls’ leadership programs can increase their self-confidence, increase academic performance, broaden career options and mitigate the power of gender bias.
The WIT Leadership Development Academy is designed for girls between the ages of 13 and 18, who come from diverse backgrounds. The Academy is led by Tania Johns, WIT Vice President of Youth Development and mother of a current WIT Young Leader.
Goal: Cultivate 13 to 18-year-old girls into compassionate, competent global leaders by empowering them with the knowledge and tools to be successful in life.
Objectives: Participants graduate from high school and university or trade school, become financially literate, launch a community service project to end poverty, develop leadership skills, know about careers in STEM, and develop cultural sensitivity through national and international travel.
Implementation: We have developed a curriculum that consists of the following elements: academic support, financial literacy, service, leadership and personal development, awareness of local and global issues, and STEM careers. Each month we conduct a workshop addressing one or more of these elements. Each girl is paired with a mentor to assist her through the program. Field trips are conducted to reinforce and enhance their learning. The participants remain in the program until they graduate with a four-year degree or technical school certification.