“I joined Girls Group because my counselor told me to,” 7th grader Zariyah said, “but now, I love the food and staff. They give us things that we can not always get in school.” Through Girls Group, Zaryiah has built relationships and had new experiences through school programs, summer programs, and weekday enrichment events.
In her second year of Girls Group, Zaryiah has taken on a leadership role. She serves on Girls Group’s Youth Leadership Council as a representative for her fellow 7th graders. “Zariyah has become a natural leader and role model to her peers,” Girls Group staff member, Brittany Barron, observed.
When asked about her favorite programs, Zariyah recalled a party from October of this year. “I loved the Halloween party we just had. It was nice to be creative and hang out with people from other schools.” During the party, participants from different grade-levels and schools came together for a home-made costume contest using materials provided by Girls Group. “I also loved learning how to skip rocks during summer programs,” she shared.
Now, as Zariyah looks towards her future, she plans to continue with Girls Group through middle and high school and keep coming to every program she can. “I want to be a veterinarian or an olympic athlete and I think that Girls Group will help me with that.” Girls Group staff look forward to watching Zariyah continue to grow and thrive as she follows her dreams!