GIRLS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
The teens of today are the world leaders of tomorrow.
Girls Leadership Council is here to help prepare their way.
GLC is a space where high school teens gather to discuss issues related to gender equity, build community, and develop their skills as advocates and leaders. Our unique curriculum helps GLC members leave meetings equipped to have meaningful conversations about history, human rights, intersectionality, and so much more. Check out previous years’ calendars and topics here.
Leadership Skills
The GLC doesn’t just talk about leadership potential, it develops and refines it! All members participate in leadership projects supervised by experienced GLC members who apply to serve on the Executive Leadership Board. Some recent examples include:
- Fundraising to support local women and girls
- Coordinating mixers with GLC alumnae
- Planning fun events like Halloween parties or group yoga
- Helping new members feel welcome and supported
- Attending API's Board of Director meetings to learn and share
Communication and Networking
Leadership is more than learning what matters to you and talking with others who share those beliefs. It also involves knowing how to talk about yourself and the things you care about, and who to talk to about those things. After members practice their skills in meetings, they put them into practice with the API community:
- Connect with mentors
- Interview elected officials
- Emcee API fundraisers
- Speak at programs and events
- Secure jobs and internships
International Perspectives
While much of GLC focuses on domestic women’s issues, we also emphasize the experience of women and girls abroad. As a chapter member of Girls Learn International (GLI), we are able to supplement our own curriculum with materials that teach about the experiences of girls from developing nations. Other opportunities have included trips to the United Nations in NYC for the International Day of the Girl and visitors from girls leadership groups around the world.
Advocacy
In addition to talking about leadership, and practicing the skills they learn with others in our meetings, GLC members take their passion for gender justice to the streets. From NJ to Philadelphia and even Washington, D.C., GLC members use their critical thinking and professional speaking skills to engage the world around them. From lobbying practice to mutual aid projects, GLC members have the chance to learn about and make history.
Check out GLC in the news!
“Woman to Watch: Former GLC Member Anjali Darji”– South Jersey Magazine
“In Tony Nominated Suffs, Girl Power Comes to Broadway, South Jersey Style”– The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Fighting Period Poverty”– Cherry Hill Sun
Now you know the big picture. What about the details?
- GLC meets monthly from September – June at Paulsdale. Members commit to attend one night per month, on a Tuesday, Wednesday, OR Thursday, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM. All meeting dates for the year are in our calendar.
- GLC costs $275 for the year, which can be paid at the time of registration or in 4 installments throughout the year. Need-based scholarships are available.
- GLC operates as a safe space for female-identifying high school students to come together and learn about issues that affect them. Girls come away from meetings with information and insights from shared conversations, and additional resources so they can learn more about topics that interest them and feel empowered to take action on issues they are passionate about.
Are you ready to join?
Register for the 2024-2025 school year using the button below! Registration opens for new members on June 1st. Need more information? Fill out the interest form below and we’ll be in touch.