During the 2008-2009 program session, GFC had more than 100 Girl Action Teams. Read more about our accomplishments this year here.

In winter 2009, GFC partnered with MS399 in the Bronx for our first New York City teams. The teams have been meeting regularly since January and have implemented amazing social change projects in their community!

Alyson Meeker, LMSW (School Based Clinical Social Worker) of Morris Heights Health Center, led the efforts to start GFC at MS399. She invited GFC to deliver a Change Your World Training at the school as part of our National Tour in fall 2008. The training was followed by the start of three Girl Action Teams! Alyson was a co-coach on all of the teams and co-coached with Gisela Bravo, LCSW (Guidance Counselor), AnnaMarie Pacura (7th grade Math teacher) and Vivian Richardson, (Parent Volunteer). To distinguish the teams, the girls selected names for their groups they are: the Warriors, G.I.R.L.S. (Gorgeous, Independent, Respectful, Leadership Stars), and GIRL POWER.  Check out the projects from these three teams by clicking on the continues link below.

 GFC is grateful for the dedication of Alyson, Gisela, Vivian and AnnaMarie to the girls at MS399. We are also proud of the girls and honored to share their projects. We look forward to many successful years of Girl Action Teams at MS399!

The G.I.R.L.S. team focused on breast cancer prevention. Their slogan is, “Get Health Insurance Now, Prevent Breast Cancer Later.” The team created a video about two women who are both diagnosed with breast cancer, however one woman has health insurance, and the other women does not. They also interviewed students in their school about what it means to have health insurance. The video and a presentation the girls designed were debuted at 2 separate hour long student assemblies on June 19 at MS399. See the presentation here and the video here.The assemblies also launched a campaign to connect people who may not have health insurance with a Facilitated Enroller at the Morris Heights Health Center.  There will be a week-long contest among the homeroom classes to see who can bring in the most names of people who are interested in getting health insurance. The presentation and the contest will address the team’s root cause of cancer prevention - educating people about the importance of health insurance. The girls determined that educating people on how to get insurance and preventative care will reduce the number of people who may go undiagnosed for diseases such as cancer.  The team raised money through bake sales to fund the video production and supply prizes for the insurance name drive. 

The Warriors hosted a day-long workshop for the 5th grade girls of PS79 (one of the feeder schools for MS399).  The workshop educated the participants, who will be entering middle school in the fall, on teen dating violence. To address the root cause of dating violence, the agenda focused on building self esteem and encouraging healthy relationships as a way to prevent girls from getting into abusive relationships. The project also addressed girls who may already be in an abusive relationship by providing resources in the community that they can go to for help and by teaching girls how they can give support to a friend who may be in an abusive relationship. 
The team secured the support of school faculty and the Morris Heights Health Center for their project. They also raised $150 through bake sales to fund the workshop materials, including goodie bags and pizza.

GIRL POWER delivered classroom presentations to more than 120 students in seven 7th grade classrooms. The presentations educated their peers on teen pregnancy, abstinence, safe sex, and the pressure young people experience regarding sex. A major part of the presentation was interacting with students in the classrooms to take The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Quiz. This quiz got students thinking about the realities of sex and its consequences.  The girls are confident their project can stop teen pregnancy by educating students about abstinence being the only way to prevent pregnancy 100% of the time and safe sex 100% of the time being the best way to prevent pregnancy if abstinence is not something you choose.  In connection with the girls’ presentations, they are running a poster contest for 7th graders with the theme “Reasons to Say No to Sex.”  The team raised money to award one boy and one girl winner of the poster contest with $50 gift cards.