My first introduction to ZGiRLS was through an invite to their annual fundraising gala. As a girl-dad of teen twins I resonated with their mission to equip girls with the tools and perspective they need to be confident, centered, and courageous. The need for improved confidence for young women is apparent, but I was curious about the resources available for parents to support their daughters through this pivotal age.
The stats on adolescent girls are alarming: 7 in 10 girls don’t believe in themselves and the CDC reports that girls fared worse than boys - across nearly all measures - with mental health challenges, experience of violence, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
It’s ZGiRLS vision to create a world where all girls and women live with zero limitations, which is an ambitious goal that I can get behind. Former U.S. Ski Team member and coach, Jilyne Jarvis saw first-hand how young girls were negatively affected by their self-doubt and unhelpful self-talk. She searched for an organization that could help improve their self-esteem but found none.
Determined to fill this gap, she co-founded ZGiRLS to give girls the mental skills they need to knock down any internal barriers that hold them back from pursuing their dreams and passions. With the help of psychologists, the ZGiRLS Curriculum™ was built to equip girls with the power of confidence.
Their transition to their online program has allowed them to reach young women nationwide and has attracted the top female athletes in the world. Their champions include professionals, Olympians, ESPN hosts and even a Hollywood Stunt Woman, who were all drawn to support their programs and participate in the curriculum citing their own confidence struggles through adolescence.
If you’re already signed up for the annual ZGiRLS Gala on March 21, 2024 at the Washington Athletic Club, I look forward to seeing you there. If you can’t make it, there is still an option to participate virtually. I’d love for you to help out in one of three ways: 1) sign your daughter up for their program; 2) share this blog with your network; and 3) consider donating to their program to keep their program free and accessible.
I challenge you to find another program addressing this critical need to equip young women to live confident lives with zero self-limitations.