'Girlz With Goals' to open October
Published:Wednesday | September 20, 2017 | 12:00 AMCarl Gilchrist
TOWER ISLE, St Mary:
After several years abroad, Tanya Isaie returned to Jamaica with a dream of making a significant contribution to her island home.
The dream becomes a reality on October 7 when she officially opens Girlz With Goals (GWG) Leadership Training Centre in Tower Isle, St Mary, with the focus on helping girls between the ages of eight and 18, along with their families and caregivers.
"Girlz with Goals Leadership Centre is a first for the parish of St Mary," Isaie, president and chief executive officer, told Rural Xpress.
"It serves girls and their families while promoting arts, literacy, technology, and health in a nurturing, resource-filled environment. It's a place where girls can come together and participate in fun activities as well as learn life skills, employment skills, receive tutoring, attend workshops, and become more refined."
Isaie explained that the core philosophy of Girlz With Goals is that every girl is beautifully and wonderfully made and she has goals.
"But too often that goal is forfeited when girls are not aware of their potential or the opportunities available to them," she pointed out.
The leadership centre features a library and tutoring centre, dance studio, an art and design suite, seating area with tables to play board games, cards, puzzles, and read magazines. A smart board is to be installed in their classroom space in the near future.
The centre will be opened from Monday to Friday, 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., and on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Girlz With Goals actually began its community outreach with a Leadership Summer Camp in July 2017, after which it began refurbishing the lower level of the former Pink Supermarket to use as the leadership centre.
At the opening, the presentation of the first Girlz With Goals Over-Achiever awards will be made to three students. Artist Dudley Thompson will also showcase his works on the occasion.
"We hope to see as many community leaders, business leaders, educators and parents at the opening reception to celebrate this momentous occasion," Isaie said.
A release from the organisation says: "Girlz with Goals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation with a mission to inspire girls to view themselves as future leaders by fostering a love of learning and goal-setting to realise their highest potential. The cornerstone of the programme is monthly workshops. Since its inaugural class in 2015, GWG has graduated more than 650 programme participants.