For sisters Jailyn and Genesis, Girls Inc. has been more than just a program—it’s shaped their confidence, friendships, and dreams for the future. Jailyn is on the precipice of entering high school, while Genesis is soon finishing her first year. They have been with Girls Inc. for nearly four years, and though they primarily participate in Bold Futures Leadership and Summer Camp, they’ve sampled multiple programs like dance, science, and arts & crafts.

At summer camp, Jailyn and Genesis found themselves in a world of new experiences. From Water Week (their favorite camp theme) to playing games they’d never encountered before, every moment was an adventure. The Girls Inc. Campout in the Berkshires during the summer of 2023 expanded their horizons even further. “I didn’t know Girls Inc. was so big,” Genesis shared, recalling the excitement of meeting girls from other affiliates in the Northeast. Sleeping in a cabin, waking up early to visit the lake, and playing games that built bonds beyond their home community gave them a new perspective on belonging.

Girls Inc. has also helped them find their voices. “I felt like I needed to quiet down,” Jailyn admitted about her time in 7th-grade. But through Girls Inc., she rediscovered the confidence to speak up and connect with others. “Now, I have even more friends than I did before,” she says. She was particularly nervous about Summer Camp 2024—her first time attending camp without Genesis. But her nerves went away once she met her fellow campers, a few of whom she now considers some of her closest friends. She felt more confidence to navigate friendships on her own, gaining independence and self-assurance.

For Genesis, a recent family move from Florida back to Connecticut made her feel closed-off for a period of time, until her interactions at Girls Inc. reversed those feelings: “Being in Girls Inc. made the ‘Genesis’ I left in Florida come back.”  She, too, gained confidence in navigating friendships, saying, “I made a friend who is super outgoing…and now all her friends are also my friends, plus more.” Genesis also aspires to be a pediatrician and looks forward to gaining confidence working with kids, as she plans to enter the Summer Leaders-in-Training program this year to get a taste of her future career through some hands-on skill practice.

Beyond friendships and fun, Girls Inc. has ignited their curiosity through the pillars of our programming. From simple stretching exercises they enjoyed years ago to feeling confident in relationship connections, they feel equipped for healthy living. Various program activities have expanded their understanding of STEM, and field trips have brought history to life in ways they had never imagined. They have grown courage to speak up for themselves, others, and causes that are important to them. Girls Inc.’s “strong, smart, and bold” motto has become more than a saying that echoes throughout the building; it is the direct reflection of their experience.

Most importantly for them, Girls Inc. has provided a space where they can be unapologetically themselves. “No one judges you or makes you feel like you shouldn’t be you,” Genesis says. It’s a place where differences are celebrated, every girl has a role to play, and everyone feels included.

Thanks to Girls Inc., Jailyn and Genesis are not just learning—they’re thriving. They are growing into young women who are strong, smart, and bold enough to chase their dreams. Jailyn describes Girls Inc. as an avenue to return to your true self, comparing it to the care-free and wonder-filled essence of preschool: “Preschool is the era when you get to be yourself the most. And now it’s here again, saying ‘Welcome back.’”