Ohio State 1girl chapter president Gabby Frick (left) and 1girl social media and event coordinator Erika Kolb (right) work to inspire middle school girls. Credit: Courtesy of Jillian Finkel
Empower a girl, change a community, educate a generation. That’s what 1girl strives for.
Columbus-based nonprofit 1girl was an idea originally developed for a class project by three Ohio State alumnae. Now, the organization has expanded nationally through the extension of its club chapters and members at Ohio State, Gabby Frick, 1girl chapter president and third-year in sociology and women’s gender and sexuality studies, said.
1girl, founded in 2013, has a goal of connecting college women with girls in fourth through eighth grade. The mentorship aims to empower girls and their community through curricula that focuses on public speaking, problem solving, critical thinking, goal setting and conflict resolution, Vanessa Young, 1girl board member, said in an email.
“When we mentor a middle school girl, we aren’t just empowering her,” Young said. “We are empowering all those she is close to like her friends, family and classmates.”
1girl primarily focuses on the middle school age because the girls are coming of age, unsure of themselves and need that extra boost of confidence and inspiration, Frick said.
Erika Kolb, a second-year in communication and social media and event coordinator for the 1girl chapter, said she didn’t have the kind of relationship 1girl helps cultivate when she was in middle school.
“I felt like I could really have benefited from having a mentor, especially someone of college or high school age, teaching me these skills that I’ll need for whenever I grow up,” Kolb said.
Young said Columbus communities were the first target of 1girl’s outreach not only due to their proximity to campus, but because Ohio State students would be able to deepen their connection with the community.
Every week, more than 25 members of 1girl facilitate after-school programs at various Columbus districts, Frick said. Graham Elementary and Middle School, Columbus Collegiate Academy-Main, United Preparatory Academy, Broadleigh and Moler elementaries are among the schools involved. Each district gets one visit a week from a group of five 1girl members.
The program is free for middle school girls whose school districts have partnered with 1girl, Frick said.
The club members have a weekly routine that requires showing up to their assigned schools with class objectives and a curriculum tailored to their group of girls, Frick said.
Frick said they will determine which aspect of the curriculum the class will primarily focus on depending on what areas the girls believe they need the most support in — the most popular being public speaking.
“Girls have all these ideas, but they’re not taught how to articulate them the right way and then feel unsure about expressing themselves in public,” Frick said.
Out of the five districts and more than 50 girls they reach each semester, Frick said some require more encouragement than others because of their underserved backgrounds.
Diverse backgrounds help strengthen the program and allow it to root itself into the community, she said, but some of the girls have traumatic home lives and face greater socioeconomic limitations that can prohibit getting the most out of the 1girl program.
“They just have a lot going on in their lives. We have to show them consistency where they may be lacking,” Frick said.
How one girl views herself and understands her place in the world can change how her community interacts, she said. It can also change the outlook they have on their own potential and capability for the future.
“I think the girls in general, when they see the OSU students, they know in general that college is an option for them, and I think it pushes them more towards college,” Frick said.
Frick and Kolb said a fulfilling part of volunteering for 1girl is seeing the progression of the girls’ confidence and abilities from the first time they meet to the 1girl gala and graduation in the spring.
Kolb said the next step for 1girl is to give back to its club members and help them develop personally and professionally. Young said 1girl will network with female professionals around Columbus in a related field.
“We are creating smart, intelligent and great leaders,” Frick said. “They’re our future, and you would want to invest in our leaders.”
On March 3, 1girl will sell stickers and buttons designed by program participants, and half of the proceeds will go to the girls who designed the products. The other half will be used to buy school supplies for next year’s class. Students interested in getting involved with 1girl can send an email to [email protected].
The Engaged Scholars logo accompanies stories that feature and examine research and teaching partnerships formed between The Ohio State University and the community (local, state, national and global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources. These stories spring from a partnership with OSU’s Office of Outreach and Engagement. The Lantern retains sole editorial control over the selection, writing and editing of these stories.
