Girls EMpowered (GEM) is a weekly afterschool program designed to increase confidence and school success for girls in fifth and eighth grades. GEM began in 2017 at Upward Elementary School and quickly expanded to Hillandale Elementary School and Hendersonville Middle School. United Way of Henderson County and Women United have launched an ambitious 3-year expansion and will ultimately serve 12 locations and up to 900 girls by the end of the expansion period.

GEM is a 10-week program that includes around 15 participants who have been identified by school teachers and counselors. Teachers and counselors facilitate and teach the GEM sessions in partnership with United Way staff as well as volunteers and mentors from Women United. Each session focuses on a particular character trait or topic as a theme, such as empowerment, confidence, inner beauty, perseverance, passion, and service. A signature feature of all GEM sessions is the careful recruitment of local professional women from diverse careers and diverse backgrounds as guest speakers. These women share their personal stories with the girls, including how they overcame obstacles to meet their goals. Each GEM cohort participates in a “Women in Leadership Tour” where girls visit at least three locations in the local community to see women in leadership positions in business, government, arts, and the non-profit community.

Interested in getting involved with GEM? Email Katy Gash, GEM Manager. 

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