150 girls from 19 public and private schools in the Philadelphia region took a big step toward exploring leadership in September by attending the “Leading for Change” conference hosted by The Agnes Irwin School.
The conference was the realization of the hard work of a student group that serves as a liaison between the Center for the Advancement of Girls and the student body at AIS.
CAG is an initiative that focuses – through research, programming and community engagement – on 4 domains: leadership, wellness, global citizenship, and teaching and learning in the 21st century.
Council members, led by senior Rachel Hansen, played an instrumental role the conference’s planning. Its aim was to create an opportunity for girls to gather, be inspired and get educated about issues affecting girls and women, said Hansen.
The conference featured two keynote speakers: Philadelphia news anchor Lisa Thomas-Laury and Maryfrances Metrick of Centerbridge Partners. Both women spoke about staying positive, following your dreams and the important attributes that make a leader.
A girls’ information fair showcased AIS’ girls at their best. Students presented on different topics, such as women in the media, women in STEM and domestic violence.
Afterward, the girls attended a networking lunch where they met local businesswomen. The volunteers mingled with the girls and shared their own paths to leadership. Afterwards, girls participated in workshops with topics ranging from public speaking to social activism.
Hansen stated, “we were pleased to see so many girls, who had never been to an event like this, spend their day with us. It was amazing to see girls caring about the same issues that concern us. It was great to see so many girls be so passionate about becoming good leaders.”
The day was a huge success that demonstrated the power of an AIS education. As one presenter said: “Your girls give an old girl like me so much hope for what is ahead. I hope the world is ready!”