Summer Programs
Although summer is a time for relaxation and fun, at Gwen’s Girls, summer camp is also a time for empowering girls ages 8-13, through gender-specific programs, education and experiences.
For young girls, summer can bring hours of unstructured activity. Gwen’s Girls’ Summer Program is an excellent alternative. Each year, the curriculum for our eight-week summer camp, Camp Destiny, is developed around a theme that addresses the 4 Life Domains. Previous themes include Health & Wellness, approached from a cross-cultural perspective that focused on a variety of wellness workshops and fun, healthy activities, and Civic and Cultural Awareness, which gave the girls an opportunity to advance their principles of leadership and culture and experience active learning and community service. Of course, what would a summer camp be without the usual summer favorites? Our field trips include:
Due to the comprehensive package of summer fun and the weekly activities, Gwen’s Girls may charge an activity fee. Please call to inquire about activity fee.
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A little about Gwen's Girls
Gwen's Girls is dedicated to the transformation of girls.
Why Girls?
42% girls in the United States now live in low-income families, and 1 in 5 below the poverty line (State of Girls 2013). Growing up in a low-income home increases a girl’s likelihood to encounter physical, emotional and behavioral hurdles. They are a higher risk for
- violence
- abandonment and family dysfunction
- sexist, racist or homophobic messages
- abuse and exploitation
- teen pregnancy
- negative peer influences
- academic failure
- low self-esteem
Few services exist to help these girls. Without support, it seems like these girls’ futures are predetermined – and they are part of a cycle that is doomed to repeat.
The Solution
Gwen’s Girls offers holistic, gender-specific programs, education, and experiences for Allegheny County’s at-risk children and young adults. More importantly, we offer a safe space where girls and young women can form relationships, build self-esteem and gain resiliency.
Gwen’s Girls recognizes, honors and nurtures the inner strength of our girls’ and their families’. This facilitates the development of each girl physically, emotionally and spiritually, creates strong family units and community bonds, and ultimately builds stable and productive lives.
The needs of our girls and families dictate Gwen’s Girls’ services. We acknowledge a society that is fraught with social barriers of race, class, and gender. We celebrate the uniqueness of the female spirit while advocating for positive changes for girls, families, and communities. And we embrace diversity of culture, perspective, and experience because we realize that differences define the richness and vitality of life.
Our educational opportunities and enrichment experiences will lead to economic self-sufficiency, quality of life and general well-being. But Gwen’s Girls is just one entity in a large system promoting the greater good. We also form collaborations and partnerships with individuals, communities, institutions, and social service providers on behalf of those we serve.
We use our financial and staff resources wisely, seek feedback from our stakeholders, and measure our results by holding Gwen’s Girls accountable for the effectiveness and stewardship of our mission.
Learn More about Gwen's Girls