A record-breaking 38 Outstanding Women Leaders (OWLs) from 22 different schools and four different states, attended the Kent Place School Girls’ Leadership Institute (GLI) from July 20 through July 31. The 10-day summer enrichment program, for girls entering seventh and eighth grades, explores these young women’s leadership potential and strengthens each girl’s self-esteem. This is the largest GLI class in the 20-year history of the program.

“There are several reasons why I think GLI has been successful for so many years,” stated Holly Doyle, co-director of GLI. “The carefully tiered design of adults mentoring a head counselor who is often a college student, who herself mentors high school counselors, who then mentor the Middle School participants, encourages investment and growth over so many years of a girl’s life. All of our counselors have been through the program as OWLs, and they know and communicate to prospective and current participants the transformative impact it had on their lives.”

Through a series of hands-on team building activities and community service opportunities, the young women gain personal confidence and build character by identifying and prioritizing their own belief systems. Each day, the young ladies experience something new: from volunteering at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey and conquering the challenge of a high ropes course, to blindfolded trust walks and round table discussions about ethical decision-making. Each OWL also creates her own “action plan” to implement in her community.

Graduates of the program go on to become student government leaders, yearbook editors, team captains and club presidents. The Institute takes place on the beautiful 26-acre campus of Kent Place School in Summit.

To learn more about Kent Place School’s Girls’ Leadership Institute, please visit, http://www.kentplace.org/gli.