34 | Summer 2018 Girls for Girls: By Bridget Gwinnett and Kristen Tuma Each January Upper School Students participate in Winter Term, an 8-day intensive program that provides students with the opportunity to explore their passions, discover new interests, increase their level of civic engagement, and, most importantly, fuel their imagination. One of the twenty- nine Winter Term courses offered this year was Girls for Girls: Leadership Edge, led by Bridget Gwinnett and Kristen Tuma. Girls for Girls: Leadership Edge, focused on leadership development, explored gender stereotypes, concepts of social construction, and media literacy. Ten young women in the ninth and eleventh grades engaged in activities designed to develop a strong sense of self-awareness and skills that will provide them with courage, compassion, and confidence to lead themselves and others. Mrs. Gwinnett and Mrs. Tuma planned intentional activities to stretch their comfort zones and open their eyes to the subtle ways women and men can be objectified in the media. Most importantly, they focused on real opportunities to make a difference by helping participants recognize where their passions and purpose overlap. This class was developed with support from the Women’s Profession Forum Foundation (WPF) of Greensboro. The WPF was founded in 1977 by a small group of professional women and community leaders whose mission was to share their talents and support like-minded women. In partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), WPF’s foundation created an evidence-based leadership development curriculum designed for girls aged 13-15: Girls Leadership Edge. In the fall of 2017, Mrs. Gwinnett and Mrs. Tuma attended a four-day intensive training at CCL and received all program materials free of charge! It was an exciting time and we knew this program had a place at GDS and Winter Term was a perfect platform to offer the curriculum to students. Highlights of the class were the field trips to meet women who have pursued their passions and guest speakers who shared their stories of struggles and accomplishments, giving advice to the next generation of female leaders. What made this Winter Term course truly one of a kind was the collaboration with current members of the GDS community who shared their experiences in their pursuit of their passions, areas of expertise, and words of advice with the next generation of female leaders. The consistent theme throughout these events was the concept of women helping women as a benefit to both parties ... how women can be a powerful force when they support each other rather than competing with each other. Leadership Edge