NATIONAL GIRL POWER DAY #TheGirlsSummit
Have you heard? It's offical! April is National Girl Power Month and the last Saturday in April is National Girl Power Day!
Although Dear Girls Academy, Inc. is well known for providing the ultimate girl experiences, Simeaka Melton decided to expanded her commitment of cultivating and igniting brilliance, sisterhood and leadership in girls by creating a new platform for girls to practice and celebrate their power! Hence, National Girl Power Month and National Girl Power Day were intentionally proclaimed on April 28, 2018, and celebrated via The Girls Summit!
The Boys and Girls Club Of Greater Washington Manassas Branch played a major role in supporting Dear Girls Academy, Inc. by providing the space for The Girls Summit to happen! Here's an interesting fact. The Girls Summit moblized over 70 girls from all over, including Southern Virginia, Wilimington Delaware, Bowie Maryland and throughout Prince William County Virginia to Manassas Virginia to attend this full day event! Talk about Girl Power, well Girl Power was not only the theme of the day, the high energy in the air but also, Girl Power was happening throughout in every detail, making The Boys and Girls Club Of Greater Washington Manassas Branch a spectacular collaboration!
Questions: Why did you choose Manassas to host The Girls Summit and what role did The Boys and Girls Club play in making it a success?
Answer (Simeaka Melton) :
I decided to host The Girls Summit in Prince William County because our girls here, deserve to have such events in their very own neighborhoods and communities. Often times we have to travel to DC or somewhere not so convenient for parents, with work and traffic is difficult. We wanted to make it as accessible as possible to those who usually don't have easy access.
As far as the Manassas Boys and Girls Club. it's been the such a great collaboration! Forrest Parker and Kaseya Harris were both very instrumental in making sure the event was what we envisioned and also in making sure the girls were able to attend for free. Kaseya has gone above and beyond in assisting and she has also been here the entire day with us! She has defintely rocked it out!
Although the admission for The Girls Summit was free to the all attendees, the girls were required to bring a donation of brand new socks. Dear Girls Academy, Inc. will donated the more than 300 pair of socks collected today to a Domestic Violence or Homeless shelter in support of its initiatives.
The girls participated in group games, circuit training, self defense, Zumba fitness, learned about financial literacy, smart goals, health and wellness, natural hair care, created poetry, had girl power activities, life skills workshops, and of course took part in Dear Girls Academy's signature Girls Gallery!
To add even more girl power to the day, during lunch, Jshuane Melton presented the official proclamation to (his wife) Dear Girls Academy, Inc.'s Founder, Simeaka Melton, declaring April 28th National Girl Power Day and the month of April as National Girl Power Month! Wow! As the girls, parents, volunteers, staff and supporters cheered in pure excitement, Simeaka Melton gave the girls some encouraging words about girl power!
"......... you are brilliant, you are beautiful, you can do really hard things, and you can go out and be whatever you decide because you are phenomenal girl." Simeaka Melton
Questions: So, National Girl Power Day?
Answer (Simeaka Melton):
Wow. Yes National Girl Power Day! National Girl Power Month! It has been my objective for girls to reconginze their power. It has also been my objective with the help of phenomenal women, to create platforms where girls can not only be educated but also be celebrated. I believe in the power of girls. "There is no power like girl power and when girls are able to reconignize the truth of who they are, and retain the truth of the self worth, girls make great decisions, and powerful things happen." Girl power impacts the world and the more we create platforms that silence the noise and allow girls to create thier own narritives, well, incredible things happen. Just look around.
It is the responsiblity of us all to invest in the state of girls. Regardless of our roles we all can make a difference. I am so honored to have so many people spend their Saturday at The Girls Summit to make sure the girls had a day that will shape thier health and wellness in such a postiive way.
From the moment the girls walked in the door th excitement busted the ceilings. The girls didn't know what to expect but once they got started giggles and smiles were everywhere. The Girls Summit focused on celebrating the intellect of girls and thier power. The Girls Summit was intentional about investing in the health and wellness of girl. From physical fitness, health and wellness, financial literacy, dance, to girl talk and beyond. The Girls Summit knocked it out the park!
Questions: Can you tell me about your team?
Answer (Simeaka Melton) :
I could none of this by myself. It takes a village to empower, educate and celebrate girls to be incredible and this day was made possibly by the village. I could only imagine The Girls Summit if it was not for our team. The team does not only help do the work but they make it work! I am so elated to look around see so many people who showed up to work and support and share! We refer to ourselves as The Girls Tribe because we know it takes a village and here we are. My husband, Jshuane put in countless hours to make sure we provide an experience girls deserve, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson support without a second thought and The Girls Tribe do the rest! The Girls Tribe do everything from operations to lifting, moving, teaching, driving back and forth, some drove today 3 plus hour each way! The Girls Tribe make the experience possible.
The Girls Summit is a glimpse of the volunteer and staff opportunties that Dear Girls Academy, Inc. has available. Throughout the day it was clear, this organization operates in excellence, fun and teamwork. The girls were not the only ones with giggles and laughter. It was clear The Girls Tribe was happy to be a part of the making the experience top notch.
Questions: What role did Novant Health play in the success of The Girls Summit?
Answer (Simeaka Melton) :
Oh a huge role! I am so very grateful to sponsors like Novant Health UVA Health System for not only signing on to become a sponsor of The Girls Summit but also for providing education at The Girls Summit!
Novant Health UVA Health System completely set the bar high when you speak in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilty. Ms. Caitlin Patterson, who is a Health Educator for Novant Health UVA Health System, she facilitated an important and very impactful workshop this morning on Stress Managment and Wellness. The girls had a great time and great dialogue.
Questions: What does Dear Girls Academy has planned next?
Answer (Simeaka Melton) :
We are contantly doing something that educates and empowers the girls but if you are wondering about the next big thing. That's Dear Girls Camp!
This August we are hosting our 9th Annual Summer Camp for girls. If you loved The Girls Summit you will be blowned away by Dear Girls Camp! It's not at all your mother's summit camp, Dear Girls Camp is the ultimate girls expereince that every girl Deserves.
The girls always have a top notch time and they get to particpate in things like swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, camp fires, team building, Zumba and fitness, typical camp activities and life classes! And bonus our Dear Girl Academy Alumni join us each year!
Dear Girls Camp is truly Girl Power all weekend!
Questions: What did they say?
Answer (Testimonials)
"Today was totally awesome! and It's National Girl Power Day!" GRADE 6
"I learned about credit and it was cool. As soon as I got here I was nervous but now I'm happy because it's really fun!" GRADE 10
"Today I learned how to relieve stress, which was good because at school there is alot of stress and drama." GRADE 8
"My day here was great! This was my first time coming to Dear Girls Academy and I want to come back and I want to go to the summer camp! GRADE 7
"Today was The Girls Summit was everything! It's Girl Power Day! I didnt know what to expect but as soon as we go here it was on! I learned some new stuff and I'm coming back for sure!" GRADE 11
"I'm just glad my daughter was able to be apart of this today! The ladies did an awesome job mixing learning and fun. I know with the work done at The Girls Summit today girls are empowered to do great stuff!" PARENT
"We drove over 3 hours to get here because we've heard of the work Dear Girls Academy does and the impact here today, I'm telling everyone to support this organization and get your girls involved! I'm glad we made the drive. PARENT
"I visited the classes, not just one but each age groups and I will tell you THIS organization, Dear Girls Academy. They got the secret sauce. I'm signing up to volunteer, I'm telling my co workers, and evryone, support Dear Girls Academy! What I seen today has changed even me." PARENT
"My daughter is involved in alot of well known oragnizations but nothing measures up to this expereince. Dear Girls Acasdemy is my new favorite. Plus Girl Power Day? That's icing on the cake." PARENT
I was just taking my daughter to volley ball and I wanted to know what was happening. It's so many girls and women here, and I was listening to the girls talk and watching the interactions so I asked a lady what is this and she explained about The Girls Summit. Then I met Mrs. Melton! In one word wow! VISTOR
#TheGirlsSummit #NationalGirlPowerDay #GirlPowerDay #Simeaka #ActivateYourGirlPower #DearGirlsAcademy #TheStateOfGirls #DearGirlsCamp
