In creating hardiness zones for girls and women we know that just as different plants grow in different ways, girls and women also tend to grow differently and require different nutrients. This is true whether they live in urban or rural communities, are economically secure or homeless, native or immigrant, are white or of color. The programs we create move away from focusing on single issues such as disordered eating or self esteem. Instead we focus on the social and political landscape that girls grow in, and women live through. Girls’ and women’s positions will not improve until those social and political landscapes are improved.
In order to achieve our vision that all women and girls experience equality, independence and safety in their everyday lives, we work directly with girls and with communities and adults who work with girls' best interests at heart.
We provide programming for second to twelfth grade girls to explore new areas of interest, to challenge themselves by learning new skills and to build alliances with other girls while learning from women who are breaking free of stereotypes.
Girls Rock! Weekend
Girls Rock! Weekend consists of a series of events aimed at celebrating girls' voices and achievements while educating them about important issues. Events have included a film screening, open-mic poetry mashup, live music concert and the Girls Unlimited! Conference.
In April 2008 Hardy Girls Healthy Women hosted the first annual Girls Rock! Weekend - an opportunity for girls of all ages to come together to meet one another, be inspired, learn media literacy skills, and think critically about messages they get about body image and relationships. Participants also had opportunities to create their own media.
In it's second year Girls Rock! brought even more girls from the greater Waterville area together and experienced coalition, violence prevention, critical thinking skills, and how to create the world they want for all girls.
The year 2010 marks the second Girls Rock! Awards, which honors six nominees, who are using their voices in bold and powerful ways to make Maine a better place for all girls. The awards were presented to girls ages 12-19 who are making a difference for all girls so that their actions may inspire others. Categories for the year 2010 includes:
Girls Unlimited! Conference
Ten years ago, GU! was the genesis of HGHW. Since that time, we've been creating a hardiness zone for girls called the Girls Unlimited! Conference. Girls in grades 5-8 get to spend a day broadening their horizons in workshops and activities designed to challenge and lead them to develop a more critical thinking process about the world around them and their place in it. Past conferences have included:
Girls Advisory Board
The GAB program is composed of young women from 9th to 12th grades who apply to become members. GAB provides opportunities for leadership experience, engaging in social action projects, and keeping the organization current on challenges facing girls today.
Last year, two GAB girls took on the Kmart corporation and got offensive t-shirts making light of violence against girls removed from shelves of stores across the country. This year, some of the GAB girls have been involved in creating GWAVE (Girls With Active Voices Everywhere), a 'zine for and by girls. Changing attitudes and giving girls a space where they can be loud is what we're about. Click here to apply.
Check out the Girls Advisory Board's blog written by girls for girls G-WAVE: A Girls Movement
Please do not hesitate to email with any questions!
Girls Coalition Groups
Comprised of middle school girls and adult muse facilitators, the groups meet weekly to create a coalition of girl allies and to reduce girlfighting by discussing media literacy and how to proactively change the culture through social action projects, such as creating their own 'zine or drafting a sexual harassment policy for their school. The groups also discuss what it means to be an ally and ways to support all girls and each other. The Girls Coalition Groups are based on the curriculum 'From Adversaries to Allies: A Curriculum for Change', authored by Lyn Mikel Brown, Ed.D and Mary Madden, PhD. For more information on how to start Girls' Coalition Groups in your community, email Jackie Dupont.
Adventure Girls
An interactive program for girls in grades 2-6, Adventure Girls gives girls the opportunity to meet once a month with women who are defying gender stereotypes and challenging notions of what a girl or woman “should” do or be. Adventure Girls brings girls together with college mentors and women facilitators to learn how mountaineers, race car drivers, boat captains, and other daring women chose to do what they do and how they've found the courage to follow their dreams.
Check out this year's exciting season by downloading the 2009-2010 Brochure This year we're offering 4 additional events to bring you more choices and opportunities to meet amazing women of daring who are trekking the snow trails, flying the skies, and using chemistry to cause a commotion!
Listen to the public service announcement recorded by two adventure girls
We provide a number of opportunities to raise awareness of issues concerning women and girls.
Thanks to Hardy Girls...
"I have resources to lean on, learn from, and take great doses of inspiration from. I frequently wonder how I would manage to do battle with those forces that would undo my daughter in her femaleness if not for your daily work in the trenches." - Tania Hathaway, mom to Sophia, 8 1/2 and Adventure Girls Customer
Planners from the 2003 Girls Unlimited! Conference sing the friendship song
2004 Hardy Girls Basketball Team
An Adventure Girl climbs the rock wall at the Alfond Youth Center
Hardy girl and Girls' Advisory Board member Thalia flexes her muscles next to the Real Girls display.
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