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 March, we are featuring Autumn!

Autumn is 12 years old, and this is her second year in the Girls Inc. of the Seacoast Area program. She has participated in several of our camps, and even acted as a peer leader during STEAM Camp last February, where the attending girls loved her guidance and she was a huge help to the staff.

Autumn is now looking forward to attending Girls Inc. Summer Camp this year for her age group and acting as peer leader for camps with younger girls. We asked Autumn what she’s looking forward to most about summer camp, and a few other questions about her experience with Girls Inc.:

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love to paint so I try to do that as much as I can.

What kind of art do you like to create?

I love doodles and painting.

What is your favorite subject in school?

I like math because it is easy for me to understand.

What is one important thing you have learned from Girls Inc.?

The most important thing I have learned in Girls Inc. is to be yourself and not care about what others think of you.

What are you looking forward to most about Girls Inc. Summer Camp?

I’m looking forward to the field trips and activities. I am also looking forward to helping at the younger camps.

What do you like about being a peer leader at summer camp?

The kids! I enjoyed helping during the February camp. The kids were a lot of fun!

Do you have any role models, or someone you look up to?

My grandmother, she was a lot like me.

What do you hope you are doing 10 years from now?

I am not sure yet, but maybe something to do with art.

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

How are you strong?

I am strong because I am mentally strong. I am also strong for my friends when they are upset and need someone to talk to.

How are you smart?

I am smart because I like to self-teach myself stuff. I have self-taught myself some sign language. I also have a great memory and I like to explore things.

How are you bold?

I am bold because I put myself out there. I had never done a dance competition before and now I am going to be doing my second competition!

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: