The second annual Girls Leadership Conference for high school girls in Lower Merion School District will focus on girls empowerment and leadership skills. In workshops led by college mentors, recent Lower Merion and Harriton graduates, and professional women from the community, girls will explore their strengths, learn and practice new skills to build confidence, and take part in conversations about opportunities and challenges for women in the world beyond high school. The conference will take place at Harriton High School on Saturday, February 28, and is

is open to girls in grades 9 through 12 who attend  Harriton and  Lower Merion high schools. Pre-registration is required by Wednesday, February 25.  http://www.lmsd.org/girls-leadership/index.aspx

Two nationally known finance experts, Lauren Young and Farnoosh Torabi, will give the keynote speech on “What Girls Need to Know About Money – Right Now!” Both women are Harriton alumnae who have gone onto successful journalism careers. Farnoosh Torabi is contributing editor at Money magazine and Lauren Young is the Money editor at Reuters.com.

Bryn Mawr College, known for its expertise in preparing women for leadership and service, is a key supporter of the conference. Students from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania will share their business expertise, and Haverford College students are leading discussions about the diverse perspectives of race, class and culture in the female experience.

The conference has several key objectives:

●        Help girls identify their unique leadership style so that they can proactively chart their post-high school plans.

●        Teach skills to help girls gain confidence, advocate for themselves and understand basic financial matters.

●        Educate girls about gender issues that that are immediately relevant to their success in school and the workplace.

●        Discuss ways that girls can handle gender discrimination and inequities in schools, work and society at large.

●        Connect girls to young women college mentors who share their experiences and views about gender issues in college, internships and jobs.

The conference workshops address many ways to build skills in confidence, leadership and advocacy, including “ID Your Unique Leadership Style,” Creating Brand U to Stand Out in College Applications,” “Money Matters,” and “How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Cause,” as well as ways to strengthen one’s body and mind through “Self Defense and Assertiveness Training,” and “De-Stress through Mindfulness.”

The Girls Leadership Council (GLC), comprising 18 girls from Lower Merion and Harriton High Schools, organized the conference. “Our mission is to promote confidence and leadership skills in young women, and to raise awareness about how sexism and stereotypes affect everyone,” say Julia Udicious and Mariana Dougherty, co-chairs of the GLC, and seniors at Harriton and Lower Merion, respectively. They hope that “girls will leave the conference feeling empowered and energized.”

Girls who serve on the GLC grow as leaders through producing the conference and by educating and enlightening peers about gender issues. Through interaction with female role models such as college mentors, school staff, and professionals from the community, the girls gain insights into the social justice, political and historical complexities that surround the pursuit of equal rights for women in all domains.

The GLC engages in other leadership activities throughout the school year, including:

●        Collaborating with other Lower Merion and Harriton student organizations that are concerned about women’s rights and gender equality for women and men.

●        Writing Opinion pieces on gender issues for the schools’ newspapers.

●        Educating themselves about social justice issues such as sexism, sexual harassment and violence against women at home and abroad.

●        Discussing the different experiences of being female from diverse perspectives such as race, religion, national origin, class, and sexual and gender identity.

●         Attending leadership programs for young women at college campuses and women’s organizations in the Philadelphia region.

Interest among students in female empowerment and gender equity is growing at Lower Merion and Harriton High Schools with student clubs at both schools focusing on these issues. Women in Power at Lower Merion and (WIA) Witness Inspire Action at Harriton, which includes boys.