Q: What is the GLOW Leadership Academy? A: The GLOW Leadership Academy is a 4-week summer program designed to empower rising 3rd - 9th grade girls through leadership training, social-emotional learning, and confidence-building experiences. Our goal is to equip girls with the skills they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Q: When and where does the program take place? A: The academy runs from June 16 – July 10 on Monday-Wednesday, with field trips every Thursday. The program is held at Rogers-Herr Middle School, 911 W Cornwallis Rd, Durham, NC 27707. Q: What are the hours of the program? A: Each day runs from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Breakfast is served from 8:30 – 9:30 AM, and the program officially starts at 9:30 AM. Q: What types of activities will my daughter participate in? A: Our activities are designed to inspire and empower! Each week follows a unique theme and includes: ✅ Leadership workshops ✅ Social-emotional learning activities ✅ Public speaking practice ✅ Advocacy and empowerment discussions ✅ Entrepreneurship and social media marketing lessons ✅ Yoga and mindfulness ✅ Weekly field trips for hands-on learning and fun Q: Is food provided? A: Yes! We provide breakfast and lunch each day to ensure your child is energized and ready to participate. Q: How much does it cost to attend? A: The registration fee is just $25 with a weekly tuition of $150. This fee covers all activities, meals, and field trips. Q: Are there scholarships or financial assistance options available? A: Yes! We are committed to making this opportunity accessible to all families. Please contact us at GLOW@Durhamshopeforkids.org to learn more about available financial support. Q: Who are the staff and facilitators? A: Our team is made up of experienced educators, youth mentors, and community leaders who are passionate about empowering girls. All staff undergo background checks and receive training to ensure a safe and positive environment. Q: What safety measures are in place? A: Safety is our top priority. We maintain a low student-to-staff ratio, follow strict sign-in/sign-out procedures, and ensure all field trips are supervised by trained adults. Q: How can I register my daughter? A: Registration is easy! Simply visit www.durhamshopeforkids.org/summeracademy to complete the sign-up process. Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to enroll early. Q: What should my daughter bring each day? A: Girls should bring: 🎒 A refillable water bottle 🧥 A light jacket (for indoor spaces) 👟 Comfortable shoes for active play and field trips All other materials are provided. Q: Can my daughter attend for just one or two weeks? A: While we encourage full participation for the best experience, we understand that summer schedules can be tricky. We welcome girls to join us for individual weeks if needed. Q: How can I stay informed about my daughter’s experience at GLOW? A: We’ll keep parents updated through weekly newsletters, photos, and special event reminders. We also encourage parents to follow us on Instagram for real-time highlights! Q: Who can I contact if I have more questions? A: We’re happy to help! Reach out to us at GLOW@Durhamshopeforkids.org for more information.

The GLOW mentoring program is a year long beautiful journey of growth and empowerment designed with love for our GLOW girls. It is a powerful initiative within the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) movement that brings together strong, compassionate mentors who understand the unique challenges faced by our communities. Imagine a space where your daughter is guided by a mentor who not only supports her dreams but also understands her experiences. The GLOW mentoring program pairs young girls with mentors who share their stories, values, and cultural backgrounds. These mentors serve as beacons of strength and wisdom, offering guidance and support to help our girls navigate the world with confidence and resilience.

Currently, we provide group mentoring, one on one mentoring, and virtual mentoring.

Any rising middle school and high school girl aged 11 - 18 who is motivated to learn, grow, and empower herself can be a GLOW girl! GLOW welcomes girls from various educational backgrounds, including school, homeschooling, and any community. We are committed to ensuring equal access to our program for every girl, regardless of socio-economic status or any other barriers. We encourage girls who are curious, ambitious, and eager to make a positive impact in their lives and communities to join us. If a girl is ready to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and empowerment, then she is more than welcome to become a GLOW girl.

The enrollment period for the GLOW program begins in July and ends in September. Once enrollment closes the programming begins the 2nd week of September.

GLOW Programming is held virtually on Wednesdays and in person on Tuesdays and Saturdays at Holton Career and Resource Center, Durham Public Libraries, and participating schools. We will inform parents a week in advance where sessions will be held.

GLOW Sessions are held on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. from September to April. We culminate the year in May with our annual Mother’s Day Brunch!

GLOW delivers a research-based Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum during our sessions. We equip each GLOW girl with tools to build her self-confidence, develop relationships, resolve conflict, make wise decisions, work in teams, and develop practical life skills. We educate our girls through lectures, trainings, activities, simulations, role play, affirmations, videos, books, and other learning methods. While in the program to monitor our girl's success we track essential data points such as graduation rates, program attendance, suspensions, grade point averages, and employment, enabling us to evaluate our impact and continuously improve our programs.

Informational sessions are held in August and September. The dates will be announced. If you are unable to attend an informational session, please request an appointment by sending an email to our coordination team at Glow@Durhamshopeforkids.org .

At GLOW, we believe in providing equal opportunities for all girls, regardless of their financial circumstances, therefore there is currently no cost for families to participate in the GLOW Program. We seek to cover expenses through fundraising and charitable donations from our community and sponsors aligned with our cause.