The local Girls Inc. chapter is 1 of only 9 nationwide chosen to participate in a pilot program primarily designed to connect with girls who do not have access to the organization’s in-person programs. Named Girls thINC Outside the Box, the local version includes delivering boxes filled with literature and activities to students at Meadow Lands and East View elementary schools.
The program was initially launched by Girls Inc. of Metro Denver and the pilot is funded by the national organization.
“The purpose of the Girls thINC Outside the Box program is to engage girls that might not otherwise be able to participate in Girls Inc. programming on one of the campuses,” said Tish Correa Osborne, CEO of Owensboro’s chapger. “It is a great opportunity for girls to sit with their families and work together through the content provided.”
She added: “We were all drawn to the program because it also helps provide an alternative to television and social media; encouraging the girls to think, read, create, and find useful resources based upon the themes of the Girls thINC Outside the Box programming.”
Ashley Agada serves as the nonprofit’s campus manager at the Owensboro Christian Church location. She has worked with Meadow Lands and East View staff to connect with girls in the 4th and 5th grades whoe are not currently Girls Inc. members.
“Our capacity to provide transportation from these schools has been limited,” Agada said. “Girls thINC Outside the Box is a way for us to provide the Girls Inc. experience and reach more girls in our community.”
Leaders launched the program at schools by delivering boxes o each school. Each box included a full-color Girls thINC Outside the Box magazine filled with activity instructions and more than 5 hours of content. They also boasted a new box related to the theme and several supplies for the activities.
“The girls were very excited to take part in this opportunity; they had many questions and could not wait to get started,” she said. “We look forward to getting feedback from them on what was helpful and fun and what might need to be re-considered.”
Local staff members selected themes surrounding mental health to help girls understand and handle their emotions, manage stress, and build confidence. They also encouraged participants to engage with them via email.
“Of course, we want to provide this Girls Inc. experience to as many girls as possible and want to target different grades, so we will be working to get sponsors of kits for future themed activity boxes,” Osborne said. “This was an all-hands-on-deck project to get it going so volunteers for future kits would be welcomed as well.”
