Pinellas County mentorship program is changing the lives of young girls

Pinellas County mentorship program for girls

Girls Inc. of Pinellas aims to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - Young girls, at Girls Inc. Pinellas can barely contain their excitement about their science project. The girls' non-profit after-school program is a national organization that's been around for over 60 years.

"Our girls benefit so much from it. Everything that we do here is STEAM-focused," said Amanda Serrano, director of curriculum at Girls Inc. of Pinellas. "So science, technology, engineering, and math, it's exposing girls to experiences they might not otherwise have."

For board member Bailey Martindale, it's an opportunity to provide the kind of guidance she didn't receive.

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"I was the product of a teenage mom, and so I never got to see anyone like that in my world. And so, it was it's really cool because I would have loved that as a kid," Martindale explained. "So, you know, you just have one person come in and show them that there's this other path and maybe they'll take that direction."

The pro-girl environment is making a positive impact.

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"I think it's really fun," said 9-year-old Taina Colladl. "I enjoy it a lot."

"I like doing all the experiments, and to usually do, to hang out with my friends and the teachers and to be in computer lab," said 9-year-old Sofia Arso.

Everything is focused on STEAM, science, technology, engineering, art and math.

"That these girls grow up, you know, already knowing that they are brilliant and that they are capable, and they can do just as much as boys can do if they should want it," Serrano shared.

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Building up their self-esteem so that they can live successful lives.