Consider an Internship with Smart-Girl!
For More Information visit: www.smart-girl.org
What is Smart-Girl?
Smart-Girl is a Colorado non-profit organization that inspires middle school girls to make smart choices and become confident, capable and self-reliant young women.
Who is the program offered to?
Smart-Girl is open primarily to 6th and 7th grade girls from all economic and cultural backgrounds. The program addresses the shared challenges adolescent girls face. UCCS undergraduate students serve as guides for the program through the Womens Studies Internship Program.
Why was Smart-Girl created?
Even the most prepared middle school girls are faced with making challenging and unprecedented decisions. Many of the choices made at this stage will have a significant impact on their futurewhether to pursue math, science and technology, whether to use drugs or alcohol, whether to accept unhealthy or abusive relationships. Smart-Girl was created to provide girls with problem-solving skills and strength that will enable them to champion these challenges.
What does the program entail?
--Only program that couples small peer group interactions with highly trained high school/college mentors, called guides
--College women serve as excellent role models, at a time when middle school girls are rejecting advice of parents and teachers
--Professional adult coaches supervise meetings
--Unique curriculum is developmentally appropriate and based on proven methods of prevention and collaborative learning
--Each meeting focuses on one issue, such as critical thinking, leadership or body image
--Activities are fun, and range from journal writing and role playing to expression through art
When and Where do the UCCS Smart-Girl sessions meet?
On campus every Saturday morning, each program is one semester long
How can I help?
We need undergraduate students interested in conducting a semester-long internship with Smart-Girl! If you would like to make a difference in the lives of girls in your community, this program is for you! Registration information on reverse side.
For more information about UCCS's Smart-Girl Program, contact Dr. Abby Ferber,Director of Womens Studies(719) 262-4139; aferber@uccs.edu
To Become an Intern:
-Interns must complete the two-credit WMST Internship Training course, offered in May through Extended studies, or in Aug. through either extended studies or the Fall course bulletin. To register through extended studies, visit the website: www.uccs.edu/~lases/smartgirl.htm
-Interns should also register for the three credit WMST Special Topics: Internship course in either the Fall or Spring semester (to correspond with the semester you will conduct the internship).
What did last years interns say?
These girls taught me so much about how life has changed since I was their age and what it is like to grow up in a city. They are some truly spectacular girls.They had a lot of fun [but] will take more out of it than that. I know that I have.
This was a real eye-opener for me.
The girls would have incredible discussions. I valued these discussions so much
I learned how families differ in America.
This experience helped me to make a decision about my own future. Now I truly know I want to be a teacher.
When these girls are older and enrolled in college courses that address these issues, they will reflect on the things they were fortunate enough to have learned in Smart-Girls. Of this I am sure.
I remember being this age, but I didnt remember how much adolescent girls go through. I am glad I got to see and experience the lives of these girls. I hope they learned something from me.
I feel like I was a part of something really special. Im hoping with all my heart that this program goes on to be a light to millions of girls as I believe it was for the girls in my groupthey have heard different ways of seeing and sharing things. They now have alternative ways to problem solve. I am proud of the job we have done as guides.
I take away a great deal of learning experience as well as friendships with the other guides.
This was the best course of my college career!