Non-profit Mentoring Girls Hopes to Expand in its 50th Year

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The nonprofit group Girls Inc. of North Alabama based inside Dr. Richard Showers Recreation Center wants to expand its potential for 2022.


HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The nonprofit group Girls Inc. of North Alabama based inside Dr. Richard Showers Recreation Center wants to expand its potential for 2022.

“We collect every progress report,” said Executive Director Stephanie Malone. “We collect every report card. And we end up securing tutors to help our girls make sure they’re academically successful because we know that is the foundation.”

Since 1972, the organization has prided itself on that help and mentorship, without adding to any family debt. Friday it kicked off its “Fuel The Fire” funding campaign, capped with a proclamation from Mayor Tommy Battle.

“For 50 years we’ve been training young ladies on how to be leaders in our community, and how to be leaders in the business world and the political world,” Battle said. “And they have provided for the people who have made Huntsville a better place.”

But the group wants to soon work with underprivileged girls across north Alabama, opening more centers.

“We’re really wanting to expand into Morgan county, Limestone county, and possibly Jackson county,” Malone added.

Malone said their goals of education will especially help girls in a world of pandemic and economic struggles.

“We know that the girls have been out of school a lot during the pandemic, and that many of our girls suffer learning loss,” she said. “So day in and day out, that is at the main thrust of what we do.”
By Lacey Reinoehl 18 Nov, 2022
Imani entered the Girls Inc. program when she was in kindergarten and remained for eight years. She has great memories of her time in the program and the friendships she made. “My favorite memory is playing on the Girls Inc. soccer team in third grade. Our team had made it to the championship tournament in Birmingham. Even though we didn’t win the tournament, we still had a great time being together. It was a great bonding experience.” Girls Inc. take girls outside of their normal environment and comfort zone to show them something new. It provides young girls with a safe space to be who they are meant to be. She also credits Girls Inc. with giving her the ambition and drive to earn a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Auburn University. “I was a part of the College Bound Program where we visited a variety of colleges in the southeast. We visited Auburn University and participated in their Camp War Eagle Freshman Orientation. This trip opened my eyes to what Auburn had to offer.” Imani says she isn’t done yet- she has big plans to continue her education by pursuing her MBA, as well as leadership roles within her field. “I credit my time with Girls Inc. in part for my success. It introduced me to so many things I didn’t know existed, as well as to people from different backgrounds and perspectives. It shaped me into the person I am today.” She says that programs like Girls Inc. are important to communities and allow girls to be lifted and mentored. “Girls Inc. take girls outside of their normal environment and comfort zone to show them something new. It provides young girls with a safe space to be who they are meant to be.” Lastly, Imani has a message for other girls out there, especially those interested in a STEM-based career. “Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything. Women are in every industry holding their own and doing a phenomenal job at it. If you have a goal or dream, pursue it and research women who are in those roles as well.”
By Lacey Reinoehl 18 Nov, 2022
Caya’s motivation was cultivated during her years at Girls Inc. of Huntsville. She grew in confidence and readily accepted new challenges. Girls Inc. also helped to nurture her interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects. When she paired her interest in STEM and her love for visual arts and design, architecture became a top contender as a career choice. Keep going, keep pushing, and keep fighting for what you believe in. There is always someone watching you succeed When Caya decided she wanted to be a licensed architect, she knew that she would be a rarity as there were only 502 black female licensed architects in the United States at the time. Knowing that if she succeeded in earning her degree and license she would be one of only a few black female licensed architects motivates her to this day. She is now a third-year student in a five-year program at Mississippi State University where she is majoring in architecture and landscape design. As a high school student, Caya volunteered her time and shared her talents with the younger girls at Girls Inc., teaching girls in K-2 grades. She volunteered here during her junior and senior years and tried to help instill that same confidence she gained from the organization. Girls are powerful — mind, body, and spirit. And Caya wants them to know that. Girls Inc. remains important because it helps girls develop in many different areas. They form long-term friendships, participate in physical activities and discover who they are as individuals. For Caya, her time at Girls Inc. has allowed her to “be the very best version of me.’’
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