Smart, Strong, and Bold

It’s a beautiful spring day, and the Girls Inc. of Metro Denver (GIMD) headquarters, known as the center, is buzzing with activity. In the center’s backyard, a group of girls plants a tree in honor of Earth Day, next to the playground they helped design. Inside, a 3D printer and other STEM supplies are carefully arranged in an upstairs room, but there are also bean bags, art installations, and cafe lights hung throughout the building, creating an environment that’s not only intellectually stimulating but also warm and welcoming. Sounds of laughter and excitement reverberate throughout the building.

Established in 1983, the local chapter of Girls Inc. currently reaches more than 3,000 girls within the Denver metro area. The national organization was founded in 1864, making it the longest-running leadership program for girls in North America. Today, Girls Inc. has 75 affiliates across the United States and Canada, empowering tens of thousands of girls from kindergarten to college. The Denver chapter of Girls Inc. prides itself on inspiring girls to become strong, smart, and bold—the three pillars of its mission and curriculum, which encompasses physical fitness, mental health, educational enrichment, and building leadership skills.

Supporting Each Journey

This past May, Denver’s business and community leaders converged at My Bold Future luncheon in celebration of Girls Inc.’s 2026 scholars, who were collectively awarded $117,000 in scholarships for their post-secondary education. “I know from experience how important scholarships are,” Girls Inc.’s Vice President of Development Haley Shilts says. “I remember waiting to hear if I got a college scholarship, and my name was called last. It was nerve-wracking, but when I heard my name, I knew my future was secured.” After graduating from college and building her career in the nonprofit sector, Shilts is now helping other girls achieve their own success—meaningful, satisfying work with a quantifiable impact.

Shilts highlights that 89% of GIMD participants believe that girls like them can become leaders, and 90% believe they can make a positive difference in their communities. “I am living proof of what happens when a young girl is supported, believed in, and given a chance,” says Ganete Alemseged, Girls Inc. of Metro Denver Alumna and TraciJim College Scholar. “I am who I am because Girls Inc. chose to pour into me.“ Alemseged, who plans to pursue a career in law, recently graduated from Howard University and is working for the U.S. Department of Justice as a litigation paralegal.

Girls Inc. also provides critical services such as transportation to and from after-school programs, hot meals, SAT prep, long-distance travel to visit colleges in cities like Chicago and New York, and internship opportunities with local companies. Both last year and the year before, all of the senior girls affiliated with the organization’s scholar program graduated from high school and went on to college. Beyond scholarships, the organization also offers guidance with the college application process, FAFSA, and any other bureaucratic paperwork that can seem overwhelming, especially when speaking English as a second language.

Classroom to the Boardroom

The internships that Girls Inc. facilitates are vital to their students’ professional development, offering exposure to a variety of industries. In recent years, dozens of teen girls have gone through career exploration programs and summer internships with corporations such as Leprino Foods, the world’s largest producer of mozzarella cheese, founded and headquartered right here in Denver.

“Every year, Leprino hosts four interns from our Eureka STEM program,” Shilts says. “We’ve been partnering with them for going on ten years. Leprino gives them hands-on experience working for the company, and then they also host a field trip for the younger girls who are just starting the program, to give them a taste of working in food science.”

Shilts is optimistic about the organization’s future. “We’re looking to grow substantially,” she says. “We’re very excited to open a satellite location on the Clayton Early Learning campus this fall.” Girls Inc.’s centers each provide a safe “third” space where girls can develop friendships and important interpersonal skills, away from social media. Studies have shown that social media disproportionately affects the mental health of teen girls “more negatively than that of teen boys,” and can be linked to depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and disturbances in sleep patterns. Shilts testifies to the “heartwarming friendships” she’s seen blossom within the Girls Inc. network, relationships that last a lifetime.

It’s ironic that, as we all spend more time online, seemingly connected through apps and comments and likes, many are also feeling more disconnected from their peers than ever before. This sense of isolation makes developing the interpersonal skills that buoy both friendships and careers increasingly difficult to learn, practice, or even observe, which is why the in-person support that Girls Inc. provides is so valuable. Girls Inc. takes a holistic approach to early childhood and adolescent development, empowering every girl to flourish as an individual and as part of a larger sisterhood—so they can all grow up healthy, resilient, and ready to take on the world.

Girls Inc. is always looking for volunteers, donors, mentors, and professionals willing to lend their expertise or create internship opportunities. Visit girlsincdenver.org to find out all the ways you can support the cause.