Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1281965
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 70 SEPTEMBER 2020 If you walk into the stately yellow Girls Inc. building at 50 High Street in Lynn on any given day, you might smell cookies baking. You might see the girls dissecting squid. You'll definitely see lots of smiles. "The socio-emotional health of our girls is very important to us," says Donna Crotty, director of development and communications for Girls Inc. of Lynn. " Very rarely do you see a sourpuss." Girls Inc. is a nonprofit with affiliates all over the U.S. and Canada that is dedicated to giving girls from disadvantaged and low- income backgrounds the tools they need to succeed. Led by executive director Deb Ansourlian, the group provides mentoring and vital programming on topics like STEM education, money management, advocacy, and how to lead healthy lives. "We really give them the confidence and ability to navigate I N - D E P T H Girls Inc. of Lynn provides girls w ith the tools they need to rise above economic, social, and gender barriers. BY NATALIE GALE GIRL POWER PHOTOGRAPHS, TOP TO BOTTOM BY SPENSER R. HASAK, COURTESY OF GIRLS INC. At the high school level, girls apply the leaderships skill they've been learning through peer mentoring. They're given the tools they need to prepare for college and careers while staying grounded by building relationships with each other, expressing creativity, and staying informed and educated about current issues. They might lead a discussion about societal injustices during "Woke Women," share their cultures during "Culture Club," or learn about mental things that I only hope I could give to my own kids," says Crotty. During pre-COVID times, the Lynn location offered childcare programming for school-age girls that was attended by almost 170 girls per day, with a 70-person waiting list. During middle school, Girls Inc. students begin to dip their toes into financial literacy and STEM education, while also developing communication and personal development skills. Girls Inc. is dedicated to giving girls the tools they need to succeed.