Empowering Our Girlz (EOG) is a not-for-profit mentoring organization based in Chicago, IL that serves as resource and network of support for girls ages 10-18. The organization’s goal is to empower young girls with their own potential to be leaders in their lives as well as in their communities. EOG has established a core program which provides a series of seminars lead by various community leaders with a goal to boost participants physical and social health. These seminars are used as a stepping stone for the girls to learn more about navigating the world they live in. Empowering Our Girlz is hosting a 5 week etiquette class starting in January 2013.
An organization in it’s infancy stages, In the 2013 EOG hopes to achieve a level of trust, accountability, and brand themselves as a reliable mentoring program. On a mission to grow their mentoring program; EOG hopes to achieve a higher level of graduation rates among young ladies in the communities of Chicago, IL.
The vision is to assist girls with goal setting and ultimately achieving a higher level of success when it comes to graduating high school. The organization notes that in certain areas of Chicago including the North Lawndale projects, most high schools are graduating students at a 60% rate or less. In an effort to combat this number and raise it EOG plans to partner with different programs that are offered for high school aged teenagers. Through workshops, community service, and other self-esteem building exercises EOG tells BCG they will instill self-love, pride, and respect in young ladies participating in their programs.
The E.O.G. Creed
E-Everything around me deserves respect and will receive it starting with above all myself.
O-Obstacles are the struggles that will build my strength and see me threw to success.
G-Greatness is what I have and great is who I AM
Empowering Our Girlz Programs:
E.O.G Saturday Program:
Saturdays from 12:30pm-3:00pm- Our sessions are broke down into age groups; we deal with different topics such as Life Skills, Health, Self-esteem, Identity, Peer Pressure, Bullying, Relationships, Education and more. E.O.G. also commits to fundraising and helping the community every month. These community activities teach the girls who they are and that giving back means not giving up on your community. All young ladies in the program are required to keep a certain grade point average in their classes in order to enter and remain in the program. Tutoring will be offered to all young ladies that are struggling in any of their subjects. All programs at some point in the year will come together occasionally to offer different resources for parents for example ACT/SAT prep and testing.
Ages 10-13: Girls Empowering Girls
GEG is designed for girls between ages 10 to 13 at an entry level stage. These are the years where the girls are not considered a child anymore, but also not a teenager. This program is used as a tool in the development of good character. Each week is focused on the building or rebuilding of positive character traits and instilling self-motivating principles. The program was built to teach girls skills that will aid them in quality decision making. This age group will focus not only on self-improvement, but also team building exercises. The team building exercises will teach them how to recognize friend and navigate them through the ups and downs friendship.
Ages 14-16: Girls for a Change
Once mentees reach the Girls for a Change program they have transcended from being girls to being considered young ladies. This program will focus on the holistic health of the young ladies mind, body, and soul. The program series that the girls go through between the ages of 14-16 are specifically designed to prepare them for being a teenager. Each week there is a group discussion, lesson, or activity that teaches the ladies how to deal with their everyday life and the changes that they are facing. It is not the mentor’s goal to tell them who they should be, but to help them discover who they want to become. Using different teaching methods and incorporating today’s social media into the lessons helps the girls gain a better understanding of who they are inside and out.
Ages 17-18: Strong, Smart, & Bold
S.S.B is designed for young ladies between ages 17-18. This program supports the young ladies during their time of transition from high school to college, and adulthood. E.O.G. uses these crucial years to help the ladies with the college or workforce entry processes. Throughout the year E.O.G. will work closely with the community to offer the ladies job training programs, ACT/SAT prep and testing, and GED classes. Between the ages of 17 and 18 the ladies will learn to successfully transition from their parents’ home to their own.
To learn more about Empowering Our Girlz like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter or call 773-305.7588.
