In 1997, Carole Lapidos and Sally Wisotzkey established Raising Strong and Confident Daughters, a grassroots organization dedicated to helping young girls develop a strong sense of self-esteem in a society in which girls are at risk for sexual harassment and abuse, eating disorders, depression, and suicide. Knowing that as girls move from childhood to adolescence they become less likely to participate in sports, advance in math and science, and that many lose focus on their unique strengths in favor of "looking good" and pleasing others, Lapidos and Wisotzkey devoted their efforts to finding and sharing proactive strategies with parents, teachers, and other to support pre-teen girls in transition.
As an outgrowth of their expanding workshop series for adults, Raising Strong and Confident Daughters joined together with area middle schools, the University of Michigan's Women's Studies Program, the Center for Community Service Learning (the Ginsberg Center & Project Community), and the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) to launch "It's Great To Be a Girl!" In 2000, the Huron Valley Girl Scout Council also joined the team of collaborators.
"It's Great to Be a Girl!" is a unique mentoring project that matches undergraduate women with middle school girls in a weekly discussion. They aim to create a supportive environment, in which girls and mentors can talk about and strategize around issues that affect their self-esteem.
For more information, please contact Gloria Taylor at (734) 936-1055, or Theda Gibbs at (734) 936-1055 or via email.
