PHX girl action teams

Below are projects girls across Maricopa County created in the 2009-2010 program cycle.

Team 1, Coronado High School, Scottsdale: School Spirit Is SWEET
Girl Action Team 1 was troubled by the negative attitudes some students had on their high school campus. The girls believed that by promoting school spirit and highlighting the positive opportunities their school has to offer, they could increase student engagement. The girls partnered with the Student Council to pass out candy with messages regarding campus activities once per month on their school’s Spirit Day.  They hope to see an increase in campus sprit over the next semester.

Team 2, Gateway Early College High School, Phoenix: Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault
The girls at Gateway Early College High School are dismayed by the number of young girls that that have experienced sexual assault; thousands of incidents which go unreported. They believe that it is critical for survivors to get the support and services they need in order to move forward and break the cycle of silence. The girls collected information and resources from various community agencies to distribute at their campus-wide health fair. The girls believe that by raising awareness and providing resources, more survivors will speak out and get the support they deserve.

Team 3, Back To Life, Glendale: Be A Drug Free Family
The girls of Team 3 believed that when teens feel the stress of family problems, drugs often seem like an easy way to escape or cover up the challenges they are facing.  They found that when family members abuse drugs or alcohol, teens are four to seven times more likely to use drugs also. In order to combat this growing problem, the girls created a documentary and interviewed teens facing these challenges. They asked the teens to share their stories and also their healthy coping strategies. The girls believe the personal messages will create a greater awareness of how family situations can influence teen substance abuse. They hope it will inspire others to seek help and make personal changes.
 
Team 4, Carl Hayden High School, Phoenix: Don’t Judge; Educate!
Team 4 would like their peers to have accurate information about the reality of sex and the consequences. They feel there is too little accessible and accurate information available to students; which can lead to harmful decision-making. The team hosted an awareness week at their school. They administered a student survey, distributed fliers, and aired a public service announcement on the school broadcast system. All their efforts were aimed at providing accurate health information that would help students make informed decisions to wait longer. Download Don't Judge; Educate!

Team 5, Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix: Speak Out Against Control
The girls at Cesar Chavez High School were concerned about the number of girls in controlling relationships and how this control could lead to other forms of abuse. They believed that if girls could recognize and detect early warning signs, they would feel more empowered to walk away. The girls wrote and performed an original skit that focused on recognizing how and when you are in a controlling relationship. They hope to also post the video on the internet in an effort to support healthy dating relationships.

Team 6, Cholla Middle School, Phoenix: Start Loving Your REAL Self
Team 6 was fired up about changing the media-constructed stereotypes of what beauty looks like. They created a web site to show what healthy bodies like and the negative effects of unhealthy dieting. They also created and distributed flyers to their classmates to encouraging them to check out the site. They hope to help girls change the way they see themselves and others. By giving information on healthy habits and showing what celebrities really look like before and after they are airbrushed, they want girls to realize there is NO perfect body. The web site is: http://chollachange.weebly.com/

Team 7, Crockett Elementary, Phoenix: Before You Use, Get The Facts
Girl Action Team 7 was worried about the peer pressure young people face around trying drugs.  The team decided to create a positive message campaign to educate their peers.  They shared different facts on the topic during daily morning announcements for two weeks. The facts included information about the harmful effects of drug use. They also created a poster campaign with messages that will help students resist the temptation to start doing drugs. The girls got the word out about how to have fun without using drugs.

Team 8, Kuban Elementary, Phoenix: Peer Pressure Hurts Everything 
The girls at Kuban Elementary are concerned about the amount of peer pressure they are facing.  They have witnessed students being pressured into things they did not want to do because they were not sure how to say “no.”  The team brainstormed creative ways to resist peer pressure and created posters to hang all over their school with tips for resisting peer pressure.  The girls hope that when someone feels pressure, they will not give in and they will have the tools they need to say no. 

Team 9, Sullivan Elementary, Phoenix: Project Peer Pressure; It’s Ok To Say No
Team 9 was alarmed by the amount of drug abuse in their community and the impact it has on young people dropping out of school. They believed peer pressure was the primary reason young people experimented with dangerous substances. The girls wrote public services announcements discouraging students from ever trying drugs. Their messages were played weekly during school announcements. They also wrote and preformed a skit about how to “just say no” in front of their peers. The girls hope that raising awareness around this issue will lead to a permanent change in the community and fewer kids will drop out of schools.

Team 10, Orangedale Preparatory Phoenix: Revolutionary Change – Ending Hate Speech
The girls of Team 10 believe that hate speech perpetuates racism. In order to address this growing issue, the girls chose to create posters that address the harmful affects hate speech can have on a community, and how it leads to racism. They also wrote in their school blog and encouraged students to stand up and ask questions about racism. The team believes their project helps youth understand how hurtful words continue negative patterns of prejudice and discrimination. They believe eliminating this speech make their community a safer place to live

Team 11, Carl T Smith, Phoenix: Increase Self Love, Stop the Bullying!
Team 11 identified verbal abuse and bullying among girls as a problem in their school. They believe that many girls struggle with low self-esteem; which then results in aggressive behaviors and attitudes. They decided to survey the girls in their school about how they felt about bullying, why they bullied, and what support they need to feel positive about themselves. The girls created posters that displayed the survey results. The posters will increase awareness about this growing problem and how to increase self-love. The team feels that standing against this type of behavior among girls creates positive change and a safer space for all students on campus.

Team 12, Boys and Girls Club- Barker, Scottsdale: Be Yourself! 
Team 12 noticed that girls in their community were lacking the confidence and self-esteem they need to be successful in life!  In order to reverse this trend, the girls decided to create t-shirts with messages that encourage a positive self image. They also wrote and directed video with strategies on how to be your true self. They hosted a party at their Boys and Girls Club where they wore their t-shirts and showed their video to all of the other Club Members. They hope that by promoting their message, girls will have safe ways to deal with these issues and be more prepared for their future.  

Team 13, Copper Canyon and Desert Pointe Academies, Peoria: Start Protecting Yourself
The girls of Team 13 wanted their peers to know that it is ok to not be sexually active.  With teen pregnancy on the rise, the girls believe it is important to spread the word about peer pressure around sex and the impact it can have on young people’s decision making.. In order to create awareness, the girls produced a video that highlighted the reality and consequences of sex. They want their video to influence teen opinions about sex and for teens to think critically about decisions that affect their lives.

Team 14, The Girl Steering Committee
They are the voices and leadership body of Girls For A Change in Phoenix and have helped with the strategic vision and future of the site. The Girl Steering Committee has devoted time this year to speaking at GFC networking events and advocating for girl leadership. 

Team 15, Bernard Black Elementary, Phoenix: Don’t Get Played
The girls of team 15 were concerned about the number of unintended pregnancies in their community. They believed that unhealthy dating relationships between young men and women encouraged an environment of destructive decision making that could result in teen pregnancy. In order to model healthy relationships, the girls wrote and performed a played for the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at their school. By focusing the play’s content on positive behaviors in relationships, the girls hope more young people will think twice about actions that will impact the rest of their lives.

Team 16, Garcia Elementary, Phoenix: Date Healthy; Be Healthy!
Team 16 felt passionate about reducing the number of girls experiencing teen dating violence in their community. They got permission from the school principal to create a human billboard campaign and wear t-shirts to school displaying the message, “Date Healthy, Be Healthy,” on the front and various facts and statistics about dating violence on the back. They believe that educating their peers about the downfalls of sexist attitudes will help promote a positive dating environment.

Team 17, Hamilton Elementary, Phoenix: No More Child Abuse
The girls of Hamilton Elementary were outraged by the number of child abuse cases reported each year in Maricopa County. They believe that substance abuse in adults can perpetuate aggressive behaviors and increase the number of children at risk for abuse. The girls created a public service announcement at MyStudio in Arizona Mills Mall. The short video challenges adults to think about how substance abuse can lead to unintended, harmful and destructive behaviors toward children. It also encouraged children who are in dangerous situations to seek safe and supportive help. The girls are showing the PSA during their school’s morning announcements and also at an upcoming open house for parents/guardians. Watch The Video  

Team 18, Fees Middle School, Tempe: Promoting Acceptance
Team 18 observed discriminatory behaviors toward gay students at their school. They believe these attitudes stem from moral opposition to gay rights and that the beliefs can lead to hateful actions. In order to spread the message of peace and acceptance, the girls designed rainbow head bands that displayed positive messages to help people understand how their actions can hurt others. The girls wore and distributed the headbands at their schools multicultural festival.

Team 19, Copper Canyon and Desert Pointe Academies High School, Peoria: Girls Against Abuse
The girls of team 19 want to encourage a community environment that supportes healthy relationships. They believe understanding how to be in a healthy relationship requires knowledge and education. They organized an awareness day at their school and invited a speaker from the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence to talk with the students about the necessary foundation for a healthy relationship. They also handed out pamphlets with resources and support to get more information. The girls hope this awareness will help students make healthy decisions about current and future relationships.

Team 20, La Joya High School, Tolleson: Self Serenity
Team 20 was concerned with the growing number of teenagers turning towards self-mutilation as a way to cope with depression. In order to encourage young people to seek healthy alternatives for dealing with this serious issue, they organized a “speak out” event at their school. A professor and specialist in the field of self-harm from ASU was invited to speak at the event in order to help the community understand this growing issue and provide resources and support to help end it. Watch the video

Team 21, Supai Middle School, Scottsdale: Posters For Peace
The girls at Supai Middle School created a poster campaign to spread the word against peer bullying they witnessed and experienced in their schools. The girls believe that the conflict is often rooted in racism and disrespect for differences. Their hope is that the by hanging the posters up around the school and displaying messages of acceptance and peace, they will promote social change and help students realize that racism still exists.

Team 22, Arizona Agriculture and Equine Center, Phoenix: Humanitarian Immigration Reform:
The girls of team 22 were outraged with the signing of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070. They believe the bill’s creation and passing was driven by racist thoughts and fear. The girls are concerned the bill will reinforce, amongst other things, the illegal practice of racial profiling and lead to decreased safety among community members. In order to address their growing concerns in a peaceful manner, the girls organized a human billboard campaign and designed t-shits displaying messages of fair, legal, and safe immigration reform. Their hope is that by raising awareness about this critical issue; voters and community members will rally for equal and fair protection under the law.

Below are projects girls across Maricopa County created in the 2008-09 program year.

Team 1, Boys Hope Girls Hope, Phoenix: Stomp Out Youth Homelessness
Girl Action Team 1 was troubled by the lack of information and awareness regarding youth homelessness in their community. The girls researched youth homelessness and contacted organizations who offer services to youth who are homeless.  They created a video with interviews from youth who are homeless as well as representatives from the community organizations.  Through this video they educated others about the issue of youth homelessness and provided information about how to find support before them become homeless.

Team 2, Orangedale Jr. High Preparatory, Phoenix: Ask Me
Team 2 felt the students on their campus were judging each other and spreading rumors through gossip.  The girls felt this form of confrontation was not creating a positive learning environment on campus. They believed that if people made less assumptions about their peers and talked with them directly, there would be no need to spread rumors.  The girls decided to create an awareness campaign and designed t-shirts with a message of direct communication to help the students get along and understand each other better. They believed their t-shirts and posters would spread the message that students need to stop the gossip and accept one another.

Team 3, Centerra Mirage Middle School, Goodyear: Find Your Own Voice
The girls of Team 3 wanted to combat peer pressure by providing their fellow students with tools and resources to express their voice.  The girls created and built resistance kits including brochures with resources for combating peer pressure, a frustration box for venting, and a wall of respect to serve as a visual reminder of the pledge to respectful behavior by their peers.  They plan to distribute the kits to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes.   
 
Team 4, Carl Hayden High School, Phoenix: Don’t Feed The Beast
The girls at Carl Hayden were concerned about the level of prejudice they saw in their school.  The girls worked together to design an awareness week that centered on the issue of prejudice and disrespect.  The girls made t-shirts, passed out flyers and made a commercial that ran on their school’s broadcast system to let students know that prejudice led to disrespectful behavior.  Through their awareness week, the girls challenged the beliefs and behaviors of the students at their school.

Team 5, Creighton Elementary, Phoenix: How To Change Your Community
The girls of Team 5 were concerned about gangs and the role they play in violent crimes against women.  In order to address the harsh realities of what a young person could face by either being in a gang or going through the process to get into one, the girls created posters and school announcements that reflected the reasons not to join a gang. They hope these messages will make students think twice before getting involved in gangs.  

Team 6, Crittendon  Academy, Phoenix: Collage Poster Campaign Against Violence
Team 6 believed that negative media messages can lead to self-harm.  The girls decided to launch an educational campaign to raise awareness around the media’s sensationalized depiction of violence.  They made posters targeted at their peers depicting various negative messages in the media and how they could lead to self-harm. They hung the posters in high traffic areas of the school. They believed that when people saw the posters it would challenge them to think about the role media plays in violence.

Team 7, South Mountain High School, Phoenix: Stop the Hate
Girl Action Team 7 was concerned by the lack of societal awareness regarding the issues that face lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgendered and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals.    The girls created short 5-minute video to create awareness that all people deserve equal rights.  The girls interviewed LGBTQ community members to document how they feel about discrimination, how they are impacted and what can be done to fix the problem of unequal treatment.  The girls have posted the video online to  increase education  about this issue and to further the understanding of equal rights for all. 

Team 8, Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Phoenix: Messages Of Self-Love
The girls at AAEC High School were tired of the violence they witnessed in their community. They believe that by increasing individual self-esteem, violence will become less prevalent.  In order to get the message across, the girls created a human billboard campaign.  They designed t-shirts with quotes depicting messages of self-love.  They also created a MySpace page that includes links and resources for self-esteem and distributed fliers to drive traffic to the website. By raising awareness about the importance of self-esteem they believe people will not only care more about themselves, but others as well.

Team 9, Gateway Early College High School, Phoenix: True Beauty Campaign
Team 9 was fired up about changing the media-constructed stereotypes of what beauty looks like.  They designed a fashion show for girls at a nearby middle school.  The fashion show proves that beauty comes in different shapes, sizes, colors, and styles.  The show challenges the stereotypes of beauty by showing that everyone is beautiful in their own unique way.  The middle school girls in attendance were inspired to embrace their true beauty and style.

Team 10, Sullivan Elementary, Phoenix: Stop Animal Homelessness
The girls of team 10 are dismayed by the number of homeless animals they see in their community.  They believe that a lack of awareness leads to mistreatment and abandonment of pets.  The girls are creating a flyer that will be distributed to their neighborhood to educate people about homeless animals and the ways they can help solve this problem.  The girls hope that raising awareness around this issue will lead to a permanent change in the community.

Team 11, Hamilton Elementary, Phoenix: Why Teens Get Pregnant
Team 11 wanted to understand why so many teens get pregnant.  They created an original skit depicting what could happen when a young person is under the influence of illegal substances and how their judgment may become altered. The girls hope the video will inform young adults that alcohol is one of the major factors that leads to teen pregnancy and that being a young parent is never easy. Their goal is to make a DVD that will educate young people and lower the rate of teen pregnancy in their community.

Team 12, Madison Park Middle School, Phoenix: Bring Safety Back to Madison Park
The girls of Team 12 felt that eliminating the Resource Officer position at their school decreased the safety at their school.  The team wrote and performed two skits, created posters and made bookmarks to demonstrate the ways the Resource Officer makes the school safer.  Through their action, the girls hope to convince the school officials to restore the Resource Officer position and keep their school safe!

Team 13, Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix: You’re Beautiful
The Cesar Chavez girls were concerned that girls in their community did not embrace their inner beauty leading to a rising promiscuity rate among their peers.  They decided to combat this ongoing issue by promoting positive self-esteem through a workshop for young women at their school.  Through this workshop many girls realized that they were beautiful women who do not have to use their bodies to earn respect from others and themselves. 

Team 14, Trevor Browne High School, Phoenix: Use Your Voice
Team 14 felt that several of their peers did not believe it was possible to find a career they were both passionate about and that could positively impact their community.  In order to create awareness around this possibility, the team invited an accomplished author  to their school to speak at an assembly for girls and host writing workshops. The author wrote a book about the women of Juarez, Mexico. She talked about Juarez, and how her journey toward choosing a career as an author also empowered her to educate society on major issues affecting her community.  This speaker inspired the girls to use their passion in their career and continue to creating change using their voices.

Team 15, Crockett Elementary, Phoenix: Kids For A Change
The girls of Team 15 are fed up with gang violence in their community. They decided to start an after-school program to provide kids a safe and fun place to be after classes end.  They will create awareness about gang violence and the dangers of being in a gang by handing out fliers at the school carnival.  With such a fun thing to do after school, the girls believe that fewer kids in their community will turn to gangs.

Team 16, StarShine Academy, Phoenix: Stop Graffiti
Team 16 is upset that students are using graffiti as a way to gossip about one another.  They designed posters to put up around their school campus to let other students know that gossiping and graffiti are not cool.  They also went to their administrator to ensure that their concerns would be taken seriously and that the graffiti would be removed.  Through this project the graffiti on campus was cleaned up and the girls made it known that gossiping isn’t cool at StarShine.  

Team 17, Coronado High School, Scottsdale: The Reality Of Teen Motherhood
Teen pregnancy is a growing concern for the girls of Team 17.  They believe that many young women become pregnant because they do not think about the difficult reality of being a parent.  In order to create awareness around the challenges young parents face, the girls created a video that highlighted the stories and experiences of teen mothers. They hope their video will demonstrate how hard it is to be a young parent so that students will think carefully before making decisions that drastically affect their lives. Check out their video here:

Coronado Team Video from Girls For A Change on Vimeo.

Team 18, Kuban Elementary, Phoenix: Just Stop It
Team 18 identified verbal and physical abuse among girls as a problem in their community. The girls created a photo story slide show addressing the issue of conflict and fighting among girls in school.  They presented the photo story to 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls at their school during a school assembly and then facilitated a discussion on how to stop the conflict.  The team feels that standing against this type of behavior among girls creates positive change and a safer space for all students on campus.

Team 19, Alfred Garcia Elementary, Phoenix: Itz Kool to Say “NO”
The girls of Team 19 are concerned about the amount of peer pressure they are facing.  They have witnessed students being pressured into things they did not  want to do because they were not sure how to say “no”.  The team brainstormed creative ways to resist peer pressure and created posters to hang all over their school with tips for resisting peer pressure.  The girls hope that when someone feels pressure, they will think twice about giving in because they have the tools they need to say “NO”. 

Team 20, Santa Maria Middle School, Phoenix: Hugs Instead of Drugs
Girl Action Team 20 was worried about the peer pressure young people face when it comes to trying drugs.  The team decided to create a positive message campaign to educate their peers.  They held a school-wide assembly and provided handouts with resources that would help students resist the temptation to start doing drugs.  The girls used entertainment to show their peers how to have fun without drugs.

Team 21, Independence High School, Glendale: Self, Body, And Mind
The young women at Independence High School were concerned about the low confidence and self-esteem they saw in their peers.  The girls decided to host a workshop to help teens and women build confidence in themselves.  This workshop inspired girls and women to respect and be confident about themselves.  

Team 22, Fees Middle School, Tempe: Animal Love
The girls of Team 22 are passionate about raising awareness about animal abuse. Believing that abuse starts because of poor dog training, the girls created a motto to stop the abuse by encouraging good training.   The girls put the motto on magnets and fliers to be given to people adopting pets at a weekend Animal Welfare Event.   The girls took a stand to remind the pet owners it’s their responsibility to train pets and be good owners.

Team 23, Carl T Smith Middle School, Phoenix: Change A Girl’s Life
The girls of Team 23 are alarmed that young women in their community are giving into peer pressure and becoming teen parents.  The team feels that if girls understood the complexities of what it means to be a teen parent, they will be more likely to say no.  The girls conducted interviews with teen moms that they will release as a podcast so they can spread the word about how difficult it is to be a parent.  They hope that young people who see this video will be able to stand up to the peer pressure and say no.

Team 24, La Joya Community High School, Avondale: The Silent Violence
The girls of Team 24 were upset at the amount of emotional abuse they are seeing.  The girls are concerned that there is not enough information about emotional abuse or what can be done to stop it.  The girls designed a brochure with information about emotional abuse as well as available resources for those being abused and passed them out at their school health fair.  They hope that by getting the word out, the emotional violence will be less prevalent.

Team 26, Back To Life, Phoenix: Hate Talk Hurts
The girls of Team 26 believe that hate speech perpetuates fear, exclusion, and racism.   In order to address this growing issue, the girls chose to create a skit, rap and posters that address the harmful affects that hate speech can have on a community, and how it leads to racism.  The project was performed before an audience of teens and young adults at the local Boys and Girls Club.  The team believes their project helped kids understand how their hurtful words continue negative patterns of prejudice, discrimination and exclusion.

Team 27, Pueblo Del Sol Middle School, Phoenix: Bad Examples=Bad Behavior
Team 27 is angry about vandalism in their community and believes that bad examples lead to bad behavior. In order to combat the negative examples of violence that young people see everyday, the team decided to create positive influences that embrace the message of community pride, ownership, and responsibility.  They did this by creating an awareness week at school with announcements, surveys, and ribbons that honored and recognized students who are good examples with positive attention rather than glorifying bad behavior. 

Team 28, Continuing Education Academy, Tolleson: Do U Know Underground Info
The girls at the Continuing Education Academy noticed that their younger sistas were lacking the confidence and self-esteem they need to be successful in life!  In order to combat this growing trend, the girls decided to create a resource brochure to distribute to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls.  The brochure contained information and resources on common issues girls face; from depression, self-image, and stress.  They hope that by distributing their brochures and talking to girls about safe ways to deal with these issues, girls will be more prepared for their future.  

Team 29, Supai Middle School, Scottsdale: Wait!!
Team 29 wants their peers to know that it is cool to wait.  With teen pregnancy on the rise, the girls believe it is important to spread the word about peer pressure and the impact it can have on young people’s decision making.  The team interviewed both a teen parent and students at their school to determine the best methods for diverting peer pressure.  The girls hope this video will provide the tools and language young people need to confront peer pressure.

Team 31, Boys and Girls Club- Barker, Scottsdale: Art For Change
The girls of Team 31 are passionate about stopping graffiti in their neighborhood.  They believe that if the community had more space for young people to express their creativity, people would be less likely to deface public property.  The girls decided that they would put together a community presentation and invite a local graffiti artist out to talk about how graffiti can be used as a way to improve a community in a designated space. 

Phoenix Girl Steering Committee
The Girl Steering Committee has devoted time this year to planning GFC girl events, speaking at networking events, and advocating for girl leadership.  The girls emceed and planned Spring Into Action and the Completion Ceremony this year. They are the voices and the leadership body of the Girls For A Change Phoenix site.

Below are projects girls across Maricopa created and implemented in the 2007-08 program year.

Team 1, Boys Hope Girls Hope, Phoenix: Get It Across!
Girl Action Team 1 was troubled about the lack of information and awareness regarding the abuse they saw happening in their community. The girls researched abuse, and created fliers to increase community awareness of abuse and how to stop it. The girls also made t-shirts that they wore at Metro Center Mall to act as human billboards. By passing out flyers with resources for abuse victims while wearing their t-shirts, the awareness campaign educated the community and left lasting knowledge about abuse.

Team 2, Orangedale Elementary School, Phoenix: Feel Better, Get Better
The girls from Team 2 are enthusiastic about leading healthy lifestyles and were concerned that not everyone shared their passion. The team worked together and met weekly to design a health food bake sale. At the bake sale, they shared posters about healthful behaviors to educate the buyers of the food. They also donated money from the bake sale to a local organization that promotes healthy living.

Team 3, Centerra Mirage Middle School, Goodyear: Stop Graffiti in Our Neighborhood
The girls in Team 3 think graffiti is ugly and they are tired of seeing it in their neighborhood.  The girls wrote and performed an original play that focused on the beautification rather then degradation of their community. The whole school gathered to see the performance. The presentations inspired the students in their school to take pride in the community and use other forms of expression to have their voices heard.

Team 4, Carl Hayden High School, Phoenix: A Day in the Life of a Teen Mom
The girls at Carl Hayden were alarmed at the rate of teen pregnancy in their community. The girls decided to create a video on how hard it is to be a teen mom. They gathered information, borrowed equipment, and conducted interviews. They then received permission from administrators, and showed the video to local middle school students. The video encouraged students to challenge their beliefs about sex and make different choices to prevent teen pregnancy.

Team 5, Griffith Elementary, Phoenix: Only You Can Prevent Teen Pregnancy
The girls at Griffith were concerned about how many teens in their community were becoming pregnant. The girls wrote, developed, and produced an educational commercial about teen pregnancy. The commercial is changing young girls’ frame of mind about sex through education and support. The team hopes to air their commercial during their weekly school announcements. 

Team 6, Crittenton Academy, Phoenix: Now or Later?
Team 6 believes that jealousy leads to controlling and abusive relationships among their peers. The girls created a skit titled “Now and Later” showing how jealousy can lead to controlling and abusive relationships.  It emphasized that if you are in an abusive relationship, it’s important to leave now – not wait until later. During the school performance, the girls distributed informational cards with domestic violence resources, and Now and Later candies. The girls also designed a quiz to make the audience aware of the differences between healthy and unhealthy jealousy. The girls want to stop the cycle of dating violence in their community.

Team 7, South Mountain High School, Phoenix: Poetry Nights
Girl Action Team 7 was overwhelmed by the racism that exists in their community. They hosted a poetry night addressing the issue of racism. The girls distributed information about their project to the school’s Literary Club and English teachers, gathered poetry submissions, and read and chose submissions. They then secured space at the school, advertised the event, and invited the school’s Step Team. The Poetry night educated the community about racism, and they are hoping it inspires the community to take action and challenge their beliefs and behaviors about race and racism.

Team 8, Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Phoenix: Prejudice in America
The girls at AAEC High School were sick of the prejudice they witnessed and experienced. The girls discussed the cause and effects of prejudice, and then created a video on prejudice.  They wrote a script, secured studio time and transportation, and borrowed the necessary equipment. When they completed the video, they posted it on YouTube. The video strives to challenge beliefs in order to change behaviors and stop the cycle of prejudice that is passed on from generation to generation. The video leaves viewers with a positive message about acceptance and understanding.

Team 9, Gateway Early College High School, Phoenix: Meth Killer
Team 9 was fired up by the use of Meth and how it is affecting their community. The girls researched information about Methamphetamines and developed a presentation about Meth for elementary school students. They then held two bake sales, secured transportation, received permission from the principal, and delivered presentations to elementary school students about the risks and consequences of doing Meth. The presentations gave elementary students the information they need to make positive choices about not using drug.

Team 10, Sullivan Elementary, Phoenix: Racism Hurts
Team 10 says words really do hurt and they are tired of people using racial slurs to be mean to each other.   The girls took action by creating a video clip showing people the causes and effects of racism.  They interviewed administrators and teachers in their schools, as well as a GFC volunteer consultant on ways to fight racism in the community. They hope that by showing their video clip, they will help people understand that whatever race you are; we all have feelings that get hurt by racism. See Team 10's video here. 

Team 11, Hamilton Elementary, Phoenix: Care More Not Less About Your Pets
Girl Action Team 11 was disgusted by the treatment of pets in their community. The team felt that the root cause of pet mistreatment was people’s carelessness. The girls used their passion for art to design bookmarks with messages about how to care for pets. The team partnered with City of Phoenix Libraries to distribute the bookmarks. The bookmarks educated people on the importance of spaying and neutering, showing love and attention, and keeping pets healthy.

Team 12, Madison Park Middle School, Phoenix: Joining a Gang is Wack
The girls of Team 12 were tired of the graffiti, intimidation, and racism spread by gangs. The team discussed gang activity, wrote a script, borrowed equipment, conducted interviews, and created a DVD to prevent kids from joining gangs. By showing the video to their peers, there is now a greater awareness in their community about gang activity and how to prevent it at Madison Park Middle School.

Team 13, Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix: Sex has Consequences
The girls of Team 13 were concerned about amount of teen pregnancy in their school and wanted to create awareness about the consequences about engaging in sexual activity. They decided to join the “National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy” movement and bring it to their school. The girls ordered informational postcards that talked about the reality of being a teen parent, and distributed them to their classmates on May 7th, the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The girls hope that giving the students more information will change their thoughts and actions about the reality of becoming a teen parent.

Team 14, Trevor Browne High School, Phoenix: Learn to Love Yourself
Team 14 was distraught about the way people perceive themselves negatively. The girls discussed self-esteem and created a Myspace page to connect people and spread the message of self love.  The girls hope that by promoting the website to their friends and families, people will visit the page and be reminded that loving your body starts first with loving yourself. Their Myspace page is here. 

Team 15, Crockett Elementary, Phoenix: Teen Pregnancy Is Played Out
The girls of Team 15 were worried about how teen pregnancy was affecting the lives of young girls in their community. They decided to write and perform a play on teen pregnancy to perform in their community.  They created props, made and hung up flyers, and held a bake sale to raise money for their project.  The play put a face on the issue of teen pregnancy and inspired students to make safer choices about sex. The play raised money that the girls donated to a local nonprofit that works to eliminate teen pregnancy. 

Team 16, StarShine Academy, Phoenix: Making Good Decisions
Team 16 was fed up with gang activity in their community. The girls developed a play, made costumes, got permission to do the play at the school, and performed their play for their younger schoolmates. The play demonstrated consequences of joining a gang. The team hopes that the play will impact the decisions of youth about gang activity, so there will be fewer gangs and less violence in their community. 

Team 17, Coronado High School, Scottsdale: Stay Strong
Girl Action Team 17 believes that one domestic violence victim is one too many! By doing research on the issues of abuse and inviting a speaker to come to their school and present to students, the girls created an environment that encouraged others as well as themselves to understand that they are not alone. Team 17’s message is that violent acts do not have to own you for the rest of your life and with the right support and resources, a new day is possible.

Team 18, Kuban Elementary, Phoenix: Photo Speak Out
Team 18 is upset that so many young people turn to drugs when they are experiencing family problems at home.  The team created an original idea of a “photo-speak out.”  They met with the principal and got permission to hold a school wide assembly.  They researched facts and statistics showing the relationship between stress at home and teen drug use.  The girls combined their research with photos of teens they found on-line to create a presentation and then they held a rally and asked kids in their school to watch the presentation and voice concerns about teen drug use in the community.  The girls opened up communication between young people and adults about drug use and also provided resources for people dealing with stress at home.

Team 19, Alfred Garcia Elementary, Phoenix: Information; The Anti Drug
The girls of Team 19 are concerned about the amount of people using drugs in their community.  They want to help people know that they have free resources available to them that will help with recovery and prevention. They interviewed a drug abuse counselor to gather information and resources.  Using the information they gathered, they created resource fliers to distribute at shopping malls, schools, and churches.  The girls believe that information is power, and that they themselves are powerful.

Team 20, Santa Maria Middle School, Phoenix: Love Yourself
Girl Action Team 20 was dismayed about hurtful words, biased media, and the stigma that is given to girls and women. The team created posters, banners, and buttons with positive messages about being a girl and distributed them at the school carnival. Every girl at Santa Maria Middle School was sent the message that being a girl is amazing and powerful.

Team 21, Independence High School, Glendale: Face To Face With Abuse
The young women at Independence High School were concerned about how sexual abuse was affecting girls and women in their community. The girls researched abuse, had a guest speaker about the topic at a team meeting, contacted local domestic violence agencies, and had in-depth discussions about the issue. They created posters, and distributed information about abuse at the school-wide health fair. The girls raised awareness about the warning signs and effects of abuse.

Team 22, Madison Park Middle School, Princesses for a Change, Phoenix: Feel Better About You
The girls of Team 22 are passionate about raising the self esteem of girls at Madison Park Middle School. The girls decided to create a video on self-esteem to share with their peers. They wrote a script, made costumes, and borrowed equipment. They created the video and showed it at an assembly. Next, they had a question and answer session about self esteem. The girls sent the message that you can feel good about who you are!

Team 23, Phoenix Girl Steering Committee
The Girl Steering Committee has devoted time this year to planning GFC girl events, speaking at Girls For A Change networking events, and advocating for girl leadership.  The girls emceed and planned Spring Into Action and the Completion Ceremony this year. They are the voices and the leadership body of the Girls For A Change Phoenix site.

Here are a list of the school and community organizations participating in Girls For A Change in 2008-2009

Girls Hope
Orangedale Elementary
Centerra Mirage Middle School
Carl Hayden High School
Crittenton Academy High School                                                                                                 South Mountain High School
AAEC
GateWay Early College High School
Sullivan Elementary
Hamilton Elementary
Madison Park Middle School
Cesar Chavez High School
Trevor Browne High School
Crockett Elementary
StarShine Academy
Coronado High School
Kuban Elementary
Garcia Elementary
Santa Maria Middle School                                                                                                         Independence High School
Fees Middle School
Carl T Smith Middle School
La Joya High School
Back To Life
Creighton Elementary School
Pueblo Del Sol Middle School
Supai Middle School
Continuing Education Academy

2006-07 Girl Action Team Projects

Below are projects girls across Maricopa created and implemented in the 2006-2007 program year. Check out a video diary of the 2006-07 Phoenix projects and coach messages here.

TEAM 1, BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE, PHOENIX: EDUCATING PEERS ON DOMESTIC ABUSE
The girls of Team 1 believe that there is a stigma around talking about domestic abuse. The girls authored a play to create public awareness among students about speaking out on this issue.  Their play will educate youth about safe resources in their community and how to access them.  They presented their play to schools in their school district. 

TEAM 2, ORANGEDALE ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: STOP ANIMAL ABUSE
The girls of Team 2 want to stop the abuse and mistreatment of homeless animals.  As part of their campaign to increase awareness surrounding this issue, Team 2 developed a presentation that includes activities for youth. The activities will focus on educating young people about resources for animals, and how to access those resources in their community. The girls independently approached their principal and arranged a schedule of presentations for several classes in their school.  The girls also worked in partnership with a local animal shelter. 

TEAM 3, CENTERRA MIRAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL, GOODYEAR: OPERATION GOLDEN RULE
These girls believe that many of the fights and broken friendships at their school result from bullies influencing other students.  The team educated their peers about following “the golden rule” and treating each other with respect, in a school wide assembly. The girls wrote and starred in the play they presented at that assembly. The play deals directly with school bullies and the effect on both those who are bullied and those who do the bullying.  The girls also encouraged a respectful atmosphere at their school by creating and handing out “star awards” to peers who are seen doing something kind for another person. 

TEAM 4, CARL HAYDEN HIGH SCHOOL, PHOENIX: DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR
Team 4 believes that youth in their community are misinformed about the consequences of sex.  They feel that lack of information from adults and too much misinformation from their peers and the media can have a negative impact on the community. The girls created a DVD containing short video clips demonstrating the negative consequences teens face when misinformed about sex.  The girls feel that by using their two best resources, their peers and the media, they will educate and impact change in their community.    

TEAM 5, GRIFFITH ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: GIRLS: STOP VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY
Girl Action Team 5 is fired up about starting a campaign to take a stand against violence in their community. The team will teach girls about self-awareness and self-esteem in so that girls stop being part of creating violence through gossiping and bullying and also stand up against violence in all forms.  The team created and presented an original educational campaign that engages 7th and 8th grade girls. The curriculum includes discussions and activities on inner beauty, self-confidence, girl power and supporting beauty in others. They will tie in discussions on beauty and self-esteem and how these relate to violence in the community.

TEAM 6, EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL, CHANDLER: CONNECTING YOUTH TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES
The girls of Team 6 believe their community has a high rate of teen drug use because many of their peers are unaware of the services available for help.  They created and distributed an informational flier that lists various organizations in their community that can assist youth with drug and alcohol related addictions.  By putting the information into the “right hands,” their peers can find safe, effective, affordable help. 

TEAM 8, A&A COTTAGES, MESA: ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF NEGLECT
The girls of Team 8 are creating a workshop to educate junior high and high school students about the cyclical nature of substance abuse and its connection to child neglect. They developed a multi-day workshop including presentations from girls on the team, and also experts in the field of substance abuse.  The girls included an interactive discussion after the workshop for participants to talk about their own experiences in order to learn from one another. 

TEAM 9, GATEWAY EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, PHOENIX: THE REALITY OF BEING A TEEN PARENT
Team 9 is empowering girls to make better decisions when it comes to sex and the prevention of teen pregnancy. They feel that education is the key to preventing teenage girls from getting pregnant.  The girls made a curriculum for their school that incorporates caring for mechanical babies for two weeks. By letting students experience the “reality” of being a teen parent, they hope to increase awareness about the benefits of waiting to be a parent.

TEAM 10, WILLIAM R SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: EDUCATING PEERS ON TEEN PREGNANCY
Girl Action Team 10 educated their peers about drug use, and how it can lead to teen pregnancy.  The girls believe teen decision making can be negatively affected when drugs are consumed. The girls partnered with the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and created a ribbon campaign for 6th, 7th and 8th graders at their school. .  They included a card with each ribbon that contains information regarding the impact drugs can have on sexual decisions or consequence of sexual behavior. 

TEAM 11, ARTHUR M HAMILTON ELEMENTARY, PHEONIX: CREATING A SAFE SPACE
The girls of Team 11 have been working together to create a space in their team meeting for open discussion on community issues.  After their community had violent acts occur to young women, the girls talked about where to go for help and how to create a sisterhood to support each other.  The girls will continue to work as a team on being a network of friends who watch out for each other and know how to offer support.

TEAM 12, SUNS DIAMONDBACK ACADEMY, PHOENIX: TACKLING THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE
All over the Valley, immigration is a hotly debated issue.  The girls of Team 12 feel that it is critical to understand current and pending immigration legislation.  By creating an awareness campaign in their school, the girls plan to educate their peers about the opportunities the DREAM Act (The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act) provides children of illegal immigrants.  The girls each wrote a personal statement about their feelings on current immigration polices and are posting it to internet blogs. They also planned to submit the letters to the Arizona Republic and their school newspaper.    

TEAM 13, CESAR CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL, PHOENIX: CALL IT LIKE IT IS; CONFRONTING RACISIM
The girls on Team 13 have decided that the lack of communication between people of various ethnicities is one of the leading causes of racism in their school.  The girls are bringing people together, through an end of the year “Kick Back Party,” with different types of music and food, and interactive activities.  They hope that by brining students of different ethnicities together to talk, hang out, and have fun that the students will start a dialogue and find commonalities.  The girls want people to realize everyone has something to offer.

TEAM 14, TREVOR BROWNE HIGH SCHOOL, PHOENIX: EDUCATION IS KEY
The Girl Action Team at Trevor Browne High School has decided that in order to create social change in their neighborhood, they must first educate themselves on the issues that have the most impact on teens in their community. The girls have started a research campaign by visiting local Valley organizations that work with youth, and plan to interview several service providers.  By learning about these issues the team will be prepared to speak out publicly about the most pressing issues youth face in their community.

TEAM 15, WILSON ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: STOP THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN
The sexual exploitation of children is a sensitive topic.  The girls of Team 15 believe that by encouraging their peers to speak out about the issue of sexual abuse, they will create a youth voice in the community. They developed a platform for open communication, and organized an open forum for both parents and adults to talk about safeguarding the community.  By incorporating a youth voice into this discussion, the girls hope to impact the way adults approach and talk to children about the issue of abuse.

TEAM 16, STARSHINE ACADEMY, PHOENIX: NO MORE HATERS
The girls of Team 16 have determined that jealousy is the main cause of “haters” in their school, especially among middle school students. They are creating change through an awareness campaign that supports a community of understanding and tolerance amongst their peers.  The girls will distribute information to students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade that focuses on inner-esteem.

TEAM 17, DESERT REACH, PHOENIX: STOP STEROTYPING
The girls of Team 17 are focusing on the negative impact of stereotypes. They want to encourage heir community to see people, for who they really are, not who they think they are.  By creating t-shirts about the harmful effectives of stereotypes, they hope to increase awareness. 

TEAM 18, JACK L KUBAN ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: THE “HOW TO” OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
The girls of Team 18 want to empower youth with confidence and self-esteem so that they are able to deal with peer conflict in a safe manner. The girls believe that it is important to have these skills before entering middle school, where peer conflict often arises. They delivered public service announcements to 5th grade students in their school by acting them out live in the class rooms. The PSAs offer information, resources, and choices for students on how to respond and deal with conflict safely. 

TEAM 19, ALFRED F GARCIA ELEMENTARY, PHOENIX: EVERYONE DESERVES A HOME
Team 19’s project is educating the community on the issue of homelessness. They created awareness packets, and plan to distribute them throughout Phoenix.  The girls believe that by making the community more aware of the seriousness of this issue, they can help connect families to resources and help find everyone a safe place to live.

TEAM 20, SANTA MARIA MIDDLE SCHOOL, PHOENIX: CREATING AWARNESS ABOUT ABUSE
The girls at Santa Maria Middle School want to raise awareness about child abuse, and how students can safely find resources on this issue.  The girls created a 30 minute presentation for their peers that includes identifying signs of abuse, the effects of it, and resources in their community to get help.  They presented to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at their school. They hope that by raising awareness less youth will face this serious issue alone.   

TEAM 21, INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL, GLENDALE: STOP THE VIOLENCE
The girls at Independence High School want to decrease student violence by addressing the issue of racism.  The girls started a public awareness campaign at their school about the correlation between racism in the community, and student violence on campus.  They wrote original skits depicting racist encounters, and performed them at a school assembly. The girls are recording their performance and will offer it to school administrators to add to the school’s curriculum on conflict resolution.   

TEAM 22, GIRL STEERING COMMITTEE
The Girl Steering Committee has worked relentlessly this year planning events, speaking at Girls For A Change functions, and networking to reach future social change agents.  The girls emceed and planned Spring Into Action and will emcee the Completion Ceremony. They have also been spokesgirls for the organization at 2 GFC fundraisers this year. They are the girl leadership body of the GFC Phoenix site.