Rachael's Story

My name is Rachael Corbitt and I grew up in South Boston.

My LEAP story began my first year of high school when I was 14 my advisor

Rachael Corbitt telling her story

introduced me to Girls’ LEAP.  I first became a program participant, then teen mentor, then moved onto an internship and was soon a college volunteer (known Teaching Woman).  I’ve spent about 6 active years at Girls’ LEAP, however the connection is 8 years and impact will be life lasting.

I graduated from UMass Darmouth in December with a BA in Psychology.  Now I am working as at the South Shore Mental Health Hospital as a Residential Rehab Educator.

When I started Girls’ LEAP I was very insecure, and unsure of whom I wanted to become.  Girls’ LEAP taught me I have potential and capacity to do anything I set my mind to & that it’s okay to say “no” when need be.

Going away to college was a huge transition for me.  I felt that once lit flame in me become dim. I felt lost and insecure and I began to follow instead of lead.

I tested my limits and made mistakes. One of Girls’ LEAP mentors Kristen Cuneo always said, “It’s ok to make mistakes, practice makes better; and don’t give up on yourself.” I find myself hearing this quote from her when I’m feeling doubtful and its helps me gain my courage back.

Rachael with her Girls' LEAP
Mentor Kristen Cuneo

Now as a 22 year old and reflecting upon the long term impact of Girls’ LEAP in my life – I mentally picture some of the charts and diagrams we used in program to help de-escalate situations. I use these in my personal life and in my work with clients.  A few other big take always are; having advocates who see the potential in me and the willingness to be supportive, like Kristen.

I’m very grateful that I found this program at such a young age.

Girls’ LEAP taught me to be proud of whom I am and surround myself with advocates and women who are just as proud of me and themselves. I now know how important it is to have a connection to powerful women so that I can have a powerful connection to myself.  With that I’m confidence my flame will never go out thanks to the support I found at Girls’ LEAP.

Porsha's Story

Porsha McConnell started at Girls' LEAP as a participant at age 14, continued as a Teen Mentor and then as a college intern was a Teaching Woman.  At age 23 she credits LEAP with making her the leader and advocate she is today.  Porsha shared her story of the lasting impact that her experience at Girls' LEAP has had on her life at our Annual Gala.

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"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is Porsha McConnell. I am a former Girls’ LEAP program participant, teen mentor and college volunteer (also known as teaching woman). I am 23 years old and in May I’ll complete my undergrad degree in Criminal Justice from Bridgewater State University. Currently I work for City of Boston, Division of Youth Engagement & Employment.

While working with the Boston Centers for Youth and Families I was introduced to Girls’ LEAP. When I was 14 I started Girls’ LEAP as a participant. At first, I hated Girls’ LEAP! 

My friends and I were terrors in class, we didn’t participate, we didn’t listen, and we made things hard for our teachers. I remember thinking, “I don’t need to be here, I know how to defend myself: I know how to fight!” I had a really bad attitude.

People told me I was intimidating. Originally, I wasn’t sure about the Teen Mentor Program. In the end I decided to turn in my application AND I’m really glad I did!

I stand here today because I. am. Girls’. LEAP. 

Through my experience, and the relationships I have developed with this phenomenal organization, I have become the leader and advocate I am today.

 
Girls LEAP taught me to break the silence. I have always been big on self-advocacy however, LEAP has given me that extra push to go outside myself and advocate for others.  I was taught how to use MY VOICE to empower and uplift not only young girls but also young people.

With this, I learned the importance of sticking together as women, Girls LEAP taught me to be unapologetic for whom I am, to value my voice, my strength (physical, mental and emotional) and my personal stake in empowering young girls daily. Most importantly, Girls LEAP has shown me that it is okay to say “NO!” …and mean it. 

I would like to thank you all for coming out tonight in support of this amazing organization, and thank you for listening."
 

Teen Mentor - Imperfection is Perfection

Jamie, age 17 was a Teen Mentor with Girls' LEAP who learned to accept imperfections and grow.  She shares her digital story.

Jamie says..."This video is about the pressure girls like myself feel on a daily basis from society to be perfect, and how it affected me. I made this video in order to show girls that they aren't alone in feeling pressured by society to be something they're not, but also to show how being a part of Girls' LEAP helped me overcome my obstacles and learn how to accept all of my imperfections. Making this video has affected me positively because it has become somewhat of a reflective experience. I was able to see how much I've grown as a person since I've started Girls' LEAP."...on Girls' LEAP YouTube Channel.

Watch Jameelah's Digital Story: Being Authentically Feminine

Jameelah's Digital Story: Being Authentically Feminine   After one year of learning and growing as a teen mentor, I was able to make a strong individual assertion that yes, I am worth it. This statement is in the form of a digital story, a short film that teen mentors in the summer create to reflect on their experience in a meaningful way. My digital story is about being authentically feminine.  One of the biggest takeaways I have from my experience as a teen mentor is that it takes courage to be authentic, but taking this positive risk is important because when we are authentic we are the best version ourselves. As a woman,it is especially important to be true to myself. Others would have me believe that there is a certain expectation for womanhood that ought to be met or a set standard for femininity. I have watched so many girls grow into themselves and each of them had a unique journey, just as I have. I now know that being authentically feminine is not only important, but necessary for authentic change to happen. My digital story outlines this very important journey that I was fortunate to be led onto by my mentors at Girls' LEAP. At the end of my journey I was able to say that I am worth it. ~ Jameelah

All season, we have been sharing the story of Jameelah, one of our former Teen Mentors. Working with Girls' LEAP had such a positive influence on her, and she has grown into a strong, confident young women.

Your gift by midnight tomorrow will ensure that Girls' LEAP can work with more girls like Jameelah to help them discover their strength and self-confidence. 

Girls' LEAP Provided a Safe-Space for Jameelah to become a Leader and Role-Model

 

Teen Mentors Jamie and Jameelah

"When Jameelah started at LEAP in the fall of 2014 she was shy to share her opinions.  We watched her grow more and more confident.  When she set her mind to accomplish something she achieved results on the highest level.

By summer of 2015 her peers were drawn to her as a leader and aspired to master the curriculum like her.  She created true group cohesion and inspired her peers.

At LEAP she learned to value her own perspective and gained the confidence to share her voice and become a leader and mentor to others.  Jameelah is an awesome Teen Mentor."

~ Katjana, Executive Director

At Girls' LEAP we know it is important for girls to have safe spaces to explore their identity, to enlarge their vision of what they are capable of, and to develop empathetic and powerful relationships with each other and with women.

Jameelah age 17, one of our Teen Mentors, has worked with many girls in our programs empowering them with the strength and courage to grow up safe and strong.

Jamie, age 17, joined the summer Teen Mentor Program and bonded with Jameelah. We saw her strongly impacted by having the opportunity to learn from an experienced powerful young role model like Jameelah. 

I learned how to connect with myself and find my purpose and then shared my purpose by connecting with other girls that I was teaching, and unknowingly inspiring. Physically I am strong, but emotionally I am stronger.

 ~ Jameelah, Age 17, Teen Mentor

Jameelah's Mom Has Seen Her Confidence Grow and is Proud of Her Daughter

Jameelah reads her poem at our Spring Gala

 Girls' LEAP seeks to empower "the whole girl". We teach girls and teens, like Jameelah, both physical self-defense skills and self-reflective, socio-emotional skills to help them to discover the power of their bodies and voices.

Jameelah's mother, Alicia, has seen the positive influence that Girls' LEAP has had on her daughter's self-confidence and well-being. Jameelah has learned how to use her voice to speak her mind and to advocate for herself and for others. She has become a strong and confident young women.

Can you help more girls like Jameela find their voice?  We need your support to empower over 1,000 girls and young women in 2016. Please make your 2015 tax-deductible donation by midnight December 31!

We know that when we empower girls and young women to value and champion their own safety and well-being; in turn, they will improve our community for everyone. 

Jameelah's journey has been a gift to Emily

Emily Welden, Program Manager

"I started at Girls' LEAP as a Team Leader working with Teen Mentors in fall 2014. Jameelah was one of the teens in my group, and over the course of that semester I was able to witness her intelligence, her humor, and her warm heart. 

When I first met her these qualities were sometimes held back, but over time Jameelah's confidence and influence with her peers has grown in LEAPS and bounds. 

Knowing Jameelah has made me a braver and more compassionate person. Seeing her develop such a sophisticated relationship with her authentic self has been a truly life changing gift."

                              ~Emily

Girls' LEAP is lucky to work with strong, confident girls and young women through our self-defense programs and Teen Mentor Program. We are proud to work with such inspiring young females and play a part in their learning and development as women.

Jameelah, one of our Teen Mentors, is no exception. Girls' LEAP Program Manager, Emily, has supervised and worked with Jameelah over the past couple of years. She has watched her blossom into a bright, strong, and confident young woman. 

Participating in Girls' LEAP has definitely helped Jameelah become who she is today. 

Jameelah will inspire you to keep girls safe & strong

Our girls are growing up in world where violence is common and even seen as normal. Peer pressure, bullying, and sexual harassment lead to low self-esteem. 

At Girls' LEAP, we interrupt this cycle of violence by empowering girls with the strength and courage to thrive.

Jameelah is one of these girls. At age 16, she joined us as a Teen Mentor. She was experiencing low self-esteem from peer pressure and media images. She felt she was losing her identity and voice while trying to fit in.

At Girls' LEAP, Jameelah found the confidence speak up for herself and find her purpose.

Jameelah, former Teen Mentor

Girls' LEAP helped me discover who I am and then gave me the confidence to share who I am with the world. Before joining Girls' LEAP as a teen mentor, I was stuck inside of myself. Although I knew that I had something worth sharing, I wasn't yet sure what that something was and I definitely was not bold enough to let it out.

I learned how to connect with myself and find my purpose and then shared my purpose by connecting with other girls that I was teaching, and unknowingly inspiring. Physically I am strong, but emotionally I am stronger. I am confident, empowered, and equipped with tools to both handle difficult situations in the present and create meaning for my life in the future. 

I no longer allow the pressure from the media or from other people stop me from being myself. I use my voice to speak up for myself and to speak out about the issues I care for. Girl's LEAP is about starting a reaction within young girls. We learn to value ourselves and our community and then we go out and change it. 

                                                 ~Jameelah

Will you give by December 31st to help girls like Jameelah build their self-esteem?

$1,000 - Leadership Level            $500 - Empowerment Level

$250 - Partnership Level           $100 - Advocate Level     

$50 - Supporter Level              $___ - Other Amount     

We are counting on your support to reach over 1,000 girls in 2016. Please make your 2015 tax-deductible donation by December 31st.  

We know that when we empower girls and young women to value and champion their own safety and well-being, in turn, they will improve our communities for everyone.

Yamilhee's Story

Girls' LEAP is empowering girls who discover a community of women and female peers who support them. 90% of program graduates believe there are women and female peers who care about them and are invested in their success.

Meet Yamilhee: She is super excited to become a Teen Mentor this Summer.

I was just finishing 10^th grade this spring when I first heard about the Teen Mentor Program at Girls’ LEAP through a friend.  She told our whole group of friends that it was an experience we wouldn't want to miss out on!  I love learning new things and then teaching them to other people because sharing knowledge is a very significant thing to me. 

I am very interested in self-defense; I believe it is a skill that is crucial to anyone, not just women and young girls. It's empowering and a lesson that is definitely very valuable.  I thought mentoring younger girls would be awesome!  No matter the age, self-defense is something all must be informed about, and I know I can work very well with kids younger than me.  This is my first real job, learning and imparting my knowledge and getting paid, it doesn't get any more awesome than that!

I am definitely interested in building my own confidence because in this cruel world that will swallow you whole, confidence is key, and it's important to stick up for yourself and what you believe in.  I would really like to hear stories of girls from everywhere and share my stories.  I like digging deeper and getting a lot of questions answered.  

I am in my school’s Drama Club and I am a triple threat, I sing, dance, and act.  I also love to write and read stories.  I love watching South Korean or Taiwanese dramas, and listening to their music, because I love learning about new cultures and experiencing them.  Last year I hosted a Japanese student here and soon I hope to go to China to study as part of my high school’s exchange program.  I enjoy just learning about other cultures and having them learn about ours.  It’s a beautiful thing.

I am super excited to work as a Teen Mentor this summer and I'm looking forward to a lot of new information, lessons and memories.  I was asked if I was nervous about starting the program and being a mentor to younger girls.  I believe it'll be a thrill!  I've sung in front of a crowd of over 200 people, I still get nervous but it has become easier to handle, and slowly to myself I begin to ask "what is being nervous?"  Young girls have so much energy and so much fun, and it'll be easy for me to relate to them since I am someone close to their age.

Part of the interview process for this job was to go through an intense training program.  Although it was a lot of time and took a lot of strength, the process was very insightful, and I loved the experience.  Having this job prepares me for many things, one being able to be on time, have a responsibility and following through with all of that.

This summer as a Teen Mentor at Girls’ LEAP I hope to grow and develop within myself and help empower other girls to do the same.  I want to help them stand up for themselves and what they believe in.  With the support of my family who are constantly pointing me in the right direction this is another step in getting me to follow my dreams thoroughly and wholeheartedly. 

I think Girls’ LEAP is program that helps empower young women and I cannot wait to hopefully be a part of the chain to change lives even if it's in the smallest way possible.

You can donate to Girls' LEAP so more girls like Yamilhee be part of this community.

Jennyde's Story

Teen Mentors participate in workshops to further develop personal and professional life skills such as public speaking, leadership and self confidence.

Meet Jennyde: A former Teen Mentor, she now goes to college full time and works full time.

I grew up in Dorchester.  I was attending one of Boston’s science & math focused schools but my guidance counselor wasn’t encouraging me in a direction I wanted to go into and I was beginning to think that college wasn’t for me and maybe a trade school might be my best option.

I joined Girls’ LEAP as a Teen Mentor the summer after my sophomore year and continued in the program through my junior year and the summer after that.  At LEAP we do Mandalas which make us think about who we are, our values, our challenges and our hopes & dreams.  By participating in my journey of self-awareness I realized that my High School was blocking me from my goals so I made a brave decision to leave all my friends and find a new school for my senior year that would support me in finding a different future.

Being a Teen Mentor gave me a concrete understanding of myself and what I wanted to do.  It’s not about dressing to impress, it is about your journey. Helping girls who have been through violent situations gave me confidence inside and out – a tool in my back pocket so I’m never afraid.

At LEAP I learned to express myself, became confident in how I express myself and learned that I can impact others.  I had never written poetry before or even thought about it.  When I performed at a LEAP Awareness Poetry Event I felt supported and heard and discovered that poetry was my true passion.  I found my voice at Girls’ LEAP.

After LEAP I continued writing poetry and I participate regularly in local Poetry Slams.  I received a Spoken Word scholarship to attend college.  At college I am meeting lots of new people and really appreciate my professors who continue to help me understand myself.

I am interested in helping people and having a strong positive impact in their lives and started in a Nursing program.  I also took an 8 week training course in how to be a medical interpreter which uses my language skills and gives me a different insight in communications between patients and the medical professions.

At 19 I am living on my own, studying to be a Nurse with a full load of college classes in the morning and supporting myself by working full time at Dana Farber Hospital as a medical interpreter at night.

If I hadn’t joined Girls’ LEAP I probably would have just gone to trade school and not really followed my dreams.  LEAP gave me the confidence to believe in myself and to take the steps I needed to take to make a different future possible.  It was a huge part of my journey.

You can donate to Girls' LEAP so more girls like Jennyde can find their voice.

Jazmin's Story

Our Teen Mentors gain valuable life skills including increased awareness of higher education opportunities, ability to coach and mentor, confidence in communication and presentation skills.

Meet Jazmin: She just graduated as a Teen Mentor and is headed off to college.

I just graduated from Boston Collegiate Charter School and will be attending Boston College in the fall.  I always knew I wanted to go to college.  My mother always encouraged me to get a college degree and be successful. For most of my childhood I wanted to be a biochemist but as I tried different sciences in High School I discovered my love for psychology, which was solidified during an internship at the Department of Children and Families.  

The college interns I worked with at LEAP really helped me prepare for college.  They answered my questions and made me feel better about the difficult process applying to college is.  They described the ups and downs of their college so I would know what to expect. I already knew I was going to college but the teaching women and interns made me more comfortable with the idea of going to and graduating from college and made me feel differently about the women I will meet there and the relationships I will develop.

I think a lot about what career I might want to take on.  I’ve considered becoming a clinical psychologist, but I’m leaning towards a job that involves more behavioral science. I even considered neuroscience at one point.  I do not know exactly what path to take. But from talking with the college women at LEAP, I know that that is okay, and by senior year I am sure I will have figured out what I want to do.  I also plan on taking many electives such as theater and participating is as many activities as possible.

I have always been very close to my mother and next year will be a huge change and challenge.  I will be living in a college dorm while my mother moves to another state in October.  I am nervous about having a roommate.  Knowing I cannot go home on the holidays or weekends unless I get on a flight concerns me.  Thinking about being on my own makes me very anxious about taking on new responsibilities without my mother’s direct support. I know she will still be there for me, just not physically there, and I was not expecting to have to face that going into college. To me I am still a kid, but in June I will be seen as an adult, which is how I will have to act.

LEAP has definitely made me more of a feminist. I have embodied being a woman and appreciated other women in my life. I see everyday media, movies, TV shows and songs in a much different light. I have also thought of myself differently. I am known to have very low self-esteem, and LEAP has helped me reconnect with my own confidence. People would always laugh when I told them I helped teach a self-defense program, but I know how much of a positive impact it has had on me and other girls’ lives. I now know where my strength lies as a woman and try every day to receive and also give myself the respect I deserve by making the right decisions.

LEAP has given me a level of maturity I did not have before. Before LEAP I did not get along very well with girls and as a teen mentor I worked with no one but girls. That helped me form friendships with my coworkers and with other women in the future. I will bring this skill and all the others I have learned with LEAP with me to college life and I know they will be very beneficial to me. 

You can donate to Girls' LEAP so more girls like Jazmin can find the confidence they need to succeed

Imani's Story

Our Teen Mentors build leadership skills by teaching younger and near-aged girls in Girls' LEAP programs. They also raise community awareness about violence that girls face.  

Meet Imani: She first joined Girls' LEAP as participant and later became a Teen Mentor.

When I was in 9^th grade my mother told me I had to go to the Girls’ LEAP program.  I resisted, I didn’t want to go, I didn’t think I needed to learn the “same old self-defense” stuff, but she insisted.  When I got there it wasn’t at all like what I expected.  I was learning about conflict de-escalation and healthy relationships and instantly I became very interested.

I really admired the teen mentors while I was a participant in the program.  Some of the other girls in my group and were sometimes difficult and disrespectful. I thought that if somebody could still be polite and calm after going through so many frustrations, they had to be really strong to do that and I wanted to be that strong.

The next year when my mom told me that Girls’ LEAP was hiring Teen Mentors I applied and got picked.  Training was intense but it was easier for me and I was less nervous because I had been in the program before.

I loved being a Mentor to the younger girls.  I felt really powerful. I had nothing but good experiences with the girls, and I felt like they looked up to me. I remember there was a little girl in a group I helped teach, who gave me her name tag at the end of the session and told me not to forget her.  I won’t.

Girls’ LEAP changed me.  I was already confident in myself when I participated in Girls' LEAP- however I wasn't at all sure in my ability to have a positive impact on others and help them. Even now I'm shocked when somebody says "I want to be like you."

I'm going into my senior year in the fall and honestly I'm a bit unsure about the future. I'm interested in many things, but lately with my involvement in Social Justice and passion for helping people I’ve started think I might want to major in Psychiatry in college.  I also love to draw and want to keep working on my art too.  If I ever get into a confrontational situation, I'll definitely know what to do.

I would tell any girl who was thinking about applying to be a Teen Mentor that sticking it out through training is totally worth it! The Girls' LEAP family is extremely loving and progressive. You'll definitely make friends that you'll keep even years after you're gone.

You can help Girls' LEAP empower more Teen Mentors like Imani each year with your donation. 

Thank you.

A Teen Mentor's perspective on sexual harassment vs. flirting

When starting our program, Trinh (17) was quiet and shy, and not at all enthusiastic.  However, over the course of the past year, Trinh has set a record for teen engagement.  Trinh assisted in four programs and participated in 25 outreach events.  She has honed her leadership and public speaking skills, and discovered a love of mentoring younger girls.  After she graduates high school this year, Trinh plans to attend UMass Amherst and study psychology so that she can continue to counsel and support teens who struggle like she did. 

Today Trinh, Senior Teen Mentor extraordinaire shares her thoughts on flirting vs. sexual harassment:

Yay! Senior Teen Mentor Trinhy taking over the Girls’ LEAP blog for the day :D

Have you ever felt uncomfortable watching a girl talk to a stranger?  Maybe the stranger touches the girl.  Maybe the girl looks scared but doesn’t back away.  Are you wondering to yourself is this just flirting or is it sexual harassment?

Hey, if I was that bystander and had not taken a Girls’ LEAP class I would have thought- that’s her fault! She invited the stranger to get that close even though ten minutes ago, when they started talking, he was a safe distance away.  >:O

One of the Girls’ LEAP reflective activities we do in program looks at FLIRTING VS. SEXUAL HARRASMENT.  We ask the girls to share their opinion on what falls in which category. It was a surprise to me, as a Senior Teen Mentor, that girls as young as an 8-years-old can tell the difference.

“What is sexual harassment?”

“Unwanted touch,” one 8-year-old girl said.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“It’s when you don’t want a person to touch you in your private areas.”

A lot of times girls may know a situation is not okay, but don’t always know how to respond.  Our reflective activity helps the girls understand the difference between sexual harassment and flirting and gives them tools they can use if they are ever in danger.   We talk with girls about their experiences- everything from smiling, winking, playful shoving, to rude sexual comments, unwanted attention and unwanted touch. This helps the girls identify the type of situation they are in so they can figure out what to say and do.  This reflective activity is super duper helpful because before learning and teaching it, I had no idea what considered flirting or sexual harassment!


Trinhy T.