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Happy New School Year 🎉 😉and welcome to The Scoop, our brand-new monthly E-News!
One of the reasons I love working in education is because I get to celebrate new beginnings three times a year - The start of the school year, the start of the calendar year, and the start of summer. With each new beginning,
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I set my feet solidly in the present, and take in all that we’re building.
At this time, I invite you to celebrate all of the work we have done since January in spite of many challenges faced by our girls, families, organization, and the country. Girls Inc. of the Island City is now strengthened. Our strategic direction is bold and our collective energy gains momentum. Thanks to many of you, we're moving forward:
- Creating long-term financial sustainability to grow our long-established programs
- Increasing the number of girls and youth we’re able to support in Alameda
- Strengthening program development through data-informed decision-making
- Building a workplace where people thrive, grow, and belong
- Building meaningful relationships with community and businesses across Alameda
And we’ve accomplished much more in these first six months. Here are some highlights:
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Our new "Girl-Centric Empower Hour" has welcomed even more girls and is now hosted at Alameda Island Kid sites and in GEMS programming
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We partnered with AUSD towards reinvigorating Eureka! our praised teen STEM program
- Girls Inc 2.0 Academy deepened our staff’s expertise on a number of youth-development and socio-emotional learning topics, which generates better outcomes for all students
- We have secured grant funding towards the implementation of a new Girls Inc. “Character Education” Curriculum starting this fall.
We also worked across the agency to assess the needs of our supporters and streamline communication, which gave rise to this very e-news that you are reading!
“The Scoop: E-News” is Girls Inc. of the Island City’s NEW monthly e-newsletter for all families, friends, and supporters! Congratulations to our Development and Marketing Director, Renata Moreira, who conceived and oversaw the implementation of this initiative, while also serving as our editor in chief. Please check your inbox the first of every month for all of the fun and the latest scoop on Girls Inc of Island City.
Our Board, leadership team and I are fully committed to what we are building and who we are becoming. Please feel free to invite aligned friends and colleagues to sign up for The Scoop Monthly E-News. We look forward to building a Girls Inc of Island City 2.0 with you.
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Organizational Highlights
Girls Inc 2.0 Academy: Our Boldest Back-to-School Yet !
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Our inaugural two-week leadership and program training for our entire child-facing team was a huge success! This training represented an important step forward in aligning our full team around Girls Inc. of the Island City’s enhanced program goals.
It also reflected the kind of internal leadership we want to continue growing across the organization: staff identifying a need, designing a thoughtful response, and creating a shared learning experience that strengthens our work with girls and families.
Week one was generously hosted by our friends at Exelixis, and the training took our typical back-to-school preparation topics to a new level. The team went through deep learning around youth development, inclusive practices, staff roles, performance expectations, and leadership.
Two examples stood out.
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First, we partnered with Mentor California, a nationally recognized champion for expanding quality mentoring relationships for young people. Their staff, Marcus Strother and Nathan Houston, led key workshops that invited our team to think more deeply about inclusivity, transparency, and self-awareness in building trusting relationships with youth — and with one another. Their sessions reinforced that high-quality programming begins with the relationships our staff build every day.
Second, Dr. Zoee Bartholomew, known as Dr. Behave, provided a full day of training on how our staff can better
| | | | support neurodiverse students and students with behavioral challenges. This learning will benefit all students across both Girls Program and Alameda Island Kids. Dr. Bartholomew will return this fall for follow-up sessions with each site, allowing staff to apply what they learned and continue building their skills in context. | | This was much more than a back-to-school orientation: It was an investment in program quality, staff leadership, and organizational alignment. Together, we created a stronger foundation for the year ahead. Much gratitude to our leadership team bettina Francisco, Natalie Duarte, and Utronda Wilson, guest presenters, participating staff, and to Exelixis for helping us launch the year with clarity, purpose, and a shared commitment to serving girls and youth with excellence! | | |
Our new Board of Directors held its first meeting and installation in early August — and it's a powerhouse group! Parents, bankers, HR leaders, business development experts, operations and education pros, executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders from Alameda and beyond.
They spent the day diving into our strategic plan and goals for the year — and their commitment to Girls Inc. is clear.
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Meet them at these upcoming events :
🏦 Sept 17 — Open House - ALL ARE WELCOME (RSVP Here)
🍩 Oct 17 — Donut Fun Run Girls Inc. of Island City Booth (RSVP Here)
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Community Events and Campaigns
Back To School Open House
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Celebrate the start of a new school year with us with STEAM activities, great food, and a chance to connect with Girls Inc. staff, families, and community members.
Date: Thursday, September 17th
Location: Meyers Center HQ, 1724 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda
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Join our leadership and board for a fun-filled day of community, donuts, live entertainment, and family activities while supporting Girls Inc. of the Island City!
Date: Saturday, October 17th
Location: Seaplane Lagoon Promenade, 2151 Ferry Point Road, Alameda
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Help girls start the school year ready to learn, and lead. Together, we’re raising $105,000 to support youth leadership, social-emotional growth, and access to innovative afterschool programs across the island. Thank you in advance for your generosity. It takes a village to grow our youth!
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None of this work happens without great partners who open their doors and resources to us. Exelixis did exactly that when they hosted week one of Girls Inc. 2.0 Academy, giving our entire child-facing team a space to learn, collaborate, and prepare for the year ahead.
Their generosity gave us more than a room: it gave our staff the focus and energy that a full week of deep training requires, and it signaled to every member of our team that our community believes in the work they do for girls and youth. A company building a legacy of excellence in oncology innovation is also investing in the young people in its own backyard. Thank you, Exelixis — we look forward to deepening this partnership and empowering more girls in STEAM!
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STAY IN LOOP
Forward this to your colleagues and community — Thanks for guiding families and friends to Girls Inc. of the Island City
| | | Girls Incorporated of the Island City | 1724 Santa Clara Avenue | Alameda, CA 94501 US | | | | |
