Girls’ Leadership Program is a 12-session curriculum held during the school day which teaches and enhances leadership skills and interpersonal skills in 7th grade girls. The curriculum focuses on four skills that research has shown to be protective factors against the common adolescent vulnerabilities of eating disorders, substance abuse, school dropout, teen pregnancy, dating violence and suicidality. GLP uses interactive and experiential activities to enhance participants’ skills of communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving and decision making.

The Leadership Project requires participants to demonstrate these skills by identifying an issue in their school or community and then planning and implementing a project to address that need. The RMS cohort this year was aware of Mother’s Home maternity shelter in Darby, and wanted to raise funds to support the shelter’s work with homeless women and babies. They held a bake sale at RMS, and raised over $500 to donate to Mother’s Home.