Each month, we feature a different girl from Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area, a program of the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center and an affiliate of Girls Incorporated®, a national research, education and direct advocacy organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold. This December to wrap up 2019, we would like to introduce you to Tessa.

Tessa is 13 years old and lives in Newburyport, MA. She has been a member of Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area for four years, and more recently is part of the Girls Inc. Advisory Group, which focuses on leadership. Girls meet to discuss needs in their own communities, learn and take part in planning events, learn and practice skills to be a mentor, and train to be co-facilitators.

Tessa is an artist and even sells her pieces in downtown Newburyport. We asked Tessa a few questions about her goals and aspirations, and her experience with Girls Inc.

What is your favorite subject to learn about? Math and History. Math because of the different levels to finding the answer and how math problems build on each other. History because I like learning about the past and how it has shaped the current world we live in.

Do you have a role model, or someone you look up to? Michelle Obama. I was lucky enough to see Michelle Obama last year with Girls Inc.

What is one thing you are looking forward to next year, in 2020? My birthday and starting high school.

What do you hope you are doing 10 years from now? I hope that I have graduated with my undergrad and am starting to work on my masters in either Law or Business. I’d also like to be living in NYC.

Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, through programming and advocacy. We asked Tessa how she feels she encompasses these three important qualities:

How are you strong? I am strong because I don’t give up even when things are hard. I am always pushing myself.

How are you smart? I am smart because I always try to do the best I can and challenge myself.

How are you bold? I am bold because I speak up for myself and others when they can’t. I also stand up for what I believe in even if others don’t.

Contribute to the Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area

Provide one year of healthy relationship programming to a school in our community – $5,000

Provide two weeks of summer vacation camp to 10 girls – $2,500

Provides 20 hours of media literacy programming – $500

Give one girl the opportunity to participate in Strong, Smart & Safe Camp during the summer – $250

Feed our students! These Students need snacks at the end of a school day – $100

The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center believes that girls are stronger, more confident and less likely to become victims of domestic violence when they are empowered through education. We currently offer Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area programs for girls in the following Massachusetts towns: Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.

Girls Inc. of the Seacoast area is an affiliate of Girls Incorporated®, a national research, education and direct advocacy organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold. The Girls Inc. national network includes research-based curricula delivered by trained professionals to equip girls to achieve academically; to lead healthy and physically active lives; to manage money; to navigate media messages; and to discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Thank you to the year-long sponsors of the Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area: