SCOTTSDALE, AZ — A summer program in north Scottsdale is helping teenage girls develop leadership skills, coping strategies, and confidence — and the founders say the need has never been greater.
Girls Mentorship serves young women ages 10 to 18, with programming built around personal growth and development. The program was founded by Mary Foran and Jill Peterson, who bring backgrounds in fitness and corporate retail to their work with the next generation.
"We're meeting girls exactly where they're at every single day, the problems they're facing, the things that they're scared of, the things that they don't want to talk to Mom and Dad about, and we're building curriculum around that," Foran said.
The founders point to an Arizona Department of Health Services survey of nearly 1,200 students showing about 40% report poor mental health as evidence of the growing need for programs like theirs.
This year's theme is "Strong Girls Build Themselves."
Attendees say the environment makes a difference from the moment they arrive.
"It really felt like a warm hug, just walking into this place and getting to know one another, our names and everything. It truly felt like I loved, and it felt safe," first-time attendee Isabel Mercer said.
For some who attend, the program has pushed them beyond their comfort zones in meaningful ways.
"They've really got me to break out of my shell, because at first, when I came into this camp, I was super nervous, and, like, I would not talk to anybody," Chelsea Ormiston said.
Harlee Perez said the experience has reshaped how she thinks about success.
"Success is where you feel confident in yourself, and you feel like you did good, no matter what everyone else thinks. You feel good," Perez said.
Now in its sixth year, the program is working to expand its reach through scholarship opportunities.
"What we've learned over these last six years is that we want to serve more than just a small community, we want to be able to cast our net wide," Peterson said.
The response from parents has reinforced why the founders believe the program fills a real gap.
"What we've heard resonate over and over and over with, especially the moms that enroll their girls, is I wish I had this when I was younger," Foran said.
For more information, including dates and prices, click here.
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