Once school’s out for the day, many families – especially those with single or two working parents – have only tenuous control over their children. Where are they? Who are they with?
These anxieties are precisely why Girls Incorporated of Metro Denver remains an imperative part of the community.
“We focus on opportunity,” explains Colleen Colarelli, president and chief executive of Girls Inc. “Here, girls can stay on track and focus; they can explore in a safe-place environment.”
At Girls Inc., enrollment is open to everyone in Denver, though its main facility is in a low-income west Denver neighborhood. Consequently, many of those in attendance are considered “at-risk” kids.
More than 65 percent of the girls who attend Girls Inc. live with a single parent. Seventy percent come from a family with an annual income of less than $30,000.
Enrollment fees are “based on the parents’ income,” explains Bonnie Reeser Trowbridge, director of development and marketing. “But no girl is ever turned away because of her family’s inability to pay.”
The organization employs 20 full-time staff members and eight to 12 part-time instructors.
In addition, it has 50 volunteers who come in to help with the girls and another 400 volunteers who assist with fundraising.
Girls Inc. has applied for funding from the Post-News Season to Share campaign.
“We try to get girls to think about their future in ways they may not have before,” explains Colarelli, who directs all phases of operations at Girls Inc., from long-range strategic planning to development and programming. “Many girls and young women simply don’t get this sort of opportunity; there are too many barriers (for) them to succeed. Here we give them a strong platform for success.”
The day I visited Girls Inc.’s modern facility on West Colfax Avenue, I was immediately struck by the educational atmosphere the staff has fostered.
None of the children were vegging out in front of a television. Instead, girls were reading books, attending sculpting class, doing their homework, involved in artistic expression or just playing with friends outdoors.
Education is the key to success at Girls Inc., specifically, practical education. At the computer center, for instance, girls are taught how to utilize PowerPoint for their school work and how the Internet can prepare them for a competitive future.
“All girls are capable of achieving their full potential, as long as they feel they are in a shielded environment,” Colarelli says. “What we ask the girls is: What do you want to do when you grow up? And then we help them fulfill their goals.”
Girls Inc. does this, by tutoring literacy and math skills, and by coaching girls in areas as diverse as health and leadership. The center has programs that address the “whole girl,” Colarelli says. “We teach them to be strong and bold.”
Colarelli points toward a “media literacy” course. Here, girls dissect the role of women in advertisements and media. “We make sure they understand: This is an airbrushed model,” she says, with a laugh.
Girls Inc. even has a bill of rights: “Girls have a right to be confident in themselves and to be safe in the world,” it says. And, “Girls have a right to prepare for interesting work and economic independence.”
Thankfully, Colarelli and her staff are the ideal group to foster this confidence, safety and independence.
Since its founding in 1983, this modest organization has assisted Denver in battling female juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy and school dropouts.
It still does. But these days, instead of turning to a few local citizens for help, Girls Inc. holds fundraisers featuring comedians such as Jeff Foxworthy.
No, it’s not because Girls Inc. has sufficient private funding. It’s because once you learn about Girls Inc., it becomes impossible not to appreciate its mission.
David Harsanyi’s column appears Monday and Thursday.
