Girls Page...

So, what is a Girls Institute?

An "institute" serves a lot of different purposes.

In this case, the NM Girls Institute was created to:

1. •advance and bring changes to the status of girls in New Mexico
   

2. •promote and develop leadership skills in girls
   

3. •promote education and knowledge of important topics/issues that the girls of New Mexico identify
   

4. •provide girls with a platform to voice their concerns
   

Why do girls need a program like this?

If you listen to the news or read articles on the Internet, you know that New Mexico struggles in many areas that affect women and girls.  The Commission on the Status of Women researched how well women and girls are doing in our state and although it wasn't all bad news, there were signs that women and girls were struggling in our state.

The NM Commission on the Status  of Women has worked for 35 years on women's issues -- teaching them about their rights and responsibilities, listening to their concerns, helping them get help when they need it, talking to people who make laws about the problems women face and also celebrating all that New Mexico women do in our state. 

The NM Girls Institute is set up to do the same thing for girls like you.

We work with ALL girls from ALL parts of New Mexico.  We want to provide you with services that will help you achieve your dreams before you become teen mothers, before you drop out of high school, before you choose not to go to college, not to vote in elections, and before you decide not to become involved in your community.  The NM Girls Institute knows that for you to become successful women you need to be empowered by knowledge, develop your skills and develop a sense of community.

And, if you are already a teen mother, have already dropped out of high school, or already made other choices that may not have been good choices, we want to work with you too.  You have dreams.  You have goals.  We want to help you achieve those goals and help you overcome some of the obstacles that may be standing in your way.

So the NM Girls Institute is just going to tell me what to do?

No... The Girls Institute is here to help you decide your own path that leads you to the making good choices and becoming leaders in your own life. We know that if we teach you how to make good choices then you will make the choices that will make you successful.

Stick around... look at the web site... see what we have to offer... get involved!