As part of this year’s After-School Activity Guide, Noozhawk has done some of the investigative work for you, asking the representatives of local after-school programs about the activities they are offering this fall.
In the second in a series of Q&As, Noozhawk sits down with Kristen Weaver of Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara.
Girls Inc. of Santa Barbara
Question: Which age groups are appropriate for your program?
Answer: Girls ages 4½ to 18.
Q: When was Girls Inc. first started? Is it local to the area?
A: Girls Inc. is a national organization with local roots dating back to 1864. Our national roots date back to 1958. Our programs and centers currently serve girls from Montecito to Goleta.
Q: What was the thought behind creating Girls Inc.?
A: To give girls a safe place to go after school and during the summer where they can be themselves, build confidence and learn and practice valuable life skills to help them successfully navigate and transcend the social, economic and gender obstacles they often encounter. We offer a fun, pro-girl environment with sustained exposure to interactive programs and mentoring relationships.
Q: What are your goals for kids who participate?
A: The mission of Girls Inc. is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold. Our classes focus on the whole girl and the unique challenges she faces. In addition to life skills and enrichment activities, we also focus on academic support through a literacy and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focus, and through homework and tutoring assistance.
Q: Which sorts of activities/classes are offered?
A: At Girls Inc., girls, with the help of their parents, select their courses each quarter. Class offerings rotate, with nearly 200 class offerings throughout the year, though the Core essential services — Strong, Smart and Bold programming — remain the focus and the heart of our program.
STRONG classes teach girls about different aspects of healthy living. They focus on activities and experiences that provide girls with the knowledge, skills and encouragement to develop and sustain a healthy lifestyle. This includes understanding the importance of making healthy choices, physical activity and developing good nutritional habits, all of which lead to improved body image and body awareness.
Q: What sorts of classes are included in the STRONG Curriculum?
A: Yoga, surfing, Mission Nutrition, Mind + Body, and Hardcore Hikers — just to name a few!
SMART classes involve activities and experiences that expand on and support school-based learning and engagement. The intention is to help girls improve their outlook and performance in school, while also lending a helpful hand in building confidence and setting personal, education and career goals. They help provide academic enrichment and support for students after the school day ends.
Q: Which classes may be included in the SMART programming?
A: Lego Robotics, Girls Who Code, Reading Ambassadors, iRead and the Science of Cooking.
BOLD classes revolve around building “life skills” through participation in activities that teach the skills and behaviors that enable girls to function independently and live a productive, fulfilling life. Mastering these skills leads to increased persistence and resilience, an ability to delay gratification and improved self and emotional control.
Q: Which classes may be included in the BOLD curriculum?
A: Express Yourself, She’s on the Money, Social Justice Art, Theater and Mural Makers.
Girls Inc. also offers gymnastics programs at its gym at 531 E. Ortega St., which offers recreational classes, competitive teams, cheer and tumbling, and preschool classes.
Q: Is there a particular activity that students enjoy more than others?
A: Girls Inc. celebrates that each girl has her own unique interests. Some girls prefer to spend time in the library, others in the kitchen, others in a science lab. We focus on the whole girl, with programming designed to give girls the opportunity to explore a range of subject areas and interests — all in a safe, pro-girl environment that promotes following their curiosities.
Q: How is your program unique from other after-school activities in the area?
A: It’s an all-girl program. It fosters mentoring relationships with facilitators within a curriculum that is intentional, interactive and research-based. The Girls Inc., Goleta Valley Center also has a dedicated Teen Center for junior high age girls. Free transportation is offered from schools to the the Santa Barbara and Goleta Valley centers.
Q: Does the content change at all over the course of the school year?
A: There are more than 200 classes to choose from, all of which rotate on a quarterly basis.
Q: Does your program touch on any school subjects?
A: Literacy, math, STEM, homework help. Each day’s schedule incorporates free play and informal time, Girls Inc. programming and dedicated time for homework assistance.
Q: What other organizations do you work or partner with?
A: Girls Inc. partners with a variety of local organizations, including the Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Surf Happens, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and The First Tee of Central Coast.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your program?
A: If parents call and schedule a tour of one of our centers, they will receive 25 percent off the price of their first week when they register. This offer is for new participants only. Registration packets are available at both centers and on our website. Financial assistance also is available to qualifying families.
For more information, call the Girls Inc. Santa Barbara Center at 805-963-4017 or the Goleta Valley and Teen Center at 805-967-0319. You can also visit the Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara website to register online.
