Girls Inc. of Ulster and Dutchess Counties

The Girls in the Entrepreneurship program at George Washington Elementary school in Kingston, NY worked hard all year to create their business. The learned about different business models, market strategies, product launch plans and how to create a logo and packaging. After carefully considering many products they settled on making fire soap and named their business "The Fiyah Girls" because, "Girls on fire can do anything they set their minds to." Huge thank you to Shaye A...rnold Chaim of Circle Herbals who guided the girls through this process and to Lindsey Rose Arnold of Heart and Arrow Handcrafted who taught the Girls how to create a beautiful handcrafted, organic product. The girls worked from the theme of sustainability and decided on paper packaging. Their launch party was a great success with speeches and samples for those attending. Everyone left smelling wonderful. See more

The Girls at Kingston High School in Kingston NY attended the SUNY Got Your Back event at SUNY Ulster Community College. It was a culmination of the conversations they had been having this semester about healthy relationships and feminism. They spent a few weeks preparing for the event by delving deep into the issues and making posters that reflected their thoughts. The Girls were part of a great team that helped fill 400 backpacks full of necessities for domestic abuse survivors. They also attended a workshop with the One Love organization where the sometimes hard-to-spot signs of domestic abuse were discussed. The girls were amazing, very mature, and brought thoughtful contributions to the conversation.

The Girls at Ernest C. Myer Elementary School in Hurley, NY, has worked on a Kindness Project, "Being Kind is Being Cool." The project reflects the school's community mission: "The Myer Community is a place of belonging, and believing in each other. It is where we practice empathy, and kindness everyday." The Girls folded origami hearts and filled them with encouraging statements. The jar is placed in their Principal Ms. LoBianco's office for student's in need of uplifting.

The third grade girls at George Washington Elementary School are learning how to engineer flip books. "Addie the Animator" came to help them break down this fun process starting with a clock. They learn that it's OK to make mistakes and that time can both move forward, and backwards!