Girls’ Hub At Northern High School

Fall 2014

Table of Contents

§ Mission Statement

§  Opportunity

§  Program Components

§  Testimony

§ Northern Testimony

§  Community Testimony

§  Timeline

§  Plans to Scale

Mission Statement

The mission of Girls’ Hub is to build a community of female high school students, teachers, and Duke students as a mechanism of increasing agency and self-efficacy in ninth grade females.

Opportunity Definition

§  Research points to “freshman year [as] essential in deciding whether a student drops out or stays in school”1

§  Research shows overwhelming evidence for a gap in confidence and self efficacy between teenage girls and boys2

Problems Facing

9th Graders

Problems Facing

Teenage Girls

OPPORTUNITY

Why Northern High School?

§ Northern houses a unique, all-male program called Young Men of Progress (YMOP)

§  Each year, the cohort of young men take a course and engage in co-curricular programing together

§  Principal Matthew Hunt has expressed desire and need for a similar program for female students

§  Girls’ Hub at Northern will function as a complement to YMOP, as a co-curricular program linked to the Freshman Seminar Course

What is Girls’ Hub?

1.  Kick-off event 2.  1 academic year of (bi)weekly sessions with Duke

students, Northern ninth grade female students, and Northern teachers à Integrates community and skill building activities

with topics exploring relevant gender issues

3.  TEDxYouth event organized by and for Northern Students and the community to culminate the semester

Session Structure

Munch and Mingle

TED Talk

TED Skill-Based Activity

Topic Introduction

Content-Based Community Building Activity

Closing Reflection

Sample Girls’ Hub Session Topics

Women in the Media

Sharing Your Story

Women in the Workforce

Healthy Relationships

Women as Leaders

College Preparation

Status of Women Globally

TEDxYouth

About TED: TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to ideas worth spreading3

About TEDx: In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

About TEDxYouth: TEDxYouthDay is a series of events all around the world that coincide with TEDYouth in November. These events are designed to empower and inspire young people.

TEDxYouth@Northern

•  In the spirit of building a vibrant community, the Girls’ Hub year programming will culminate in TEDxYouth@Northern

•  Designed to promote confidence through public speaking •  Girls’ Hub teachers, Duke women, and Northern women will

have the opportunity to present a TED Talk on topics linked to those from the weekly sessions

Northern Testimony

Principal Matthew Hunt has been extremely vocal in expressing his enthusiasm and commitment to Girls’ Hub •  “[The girls at Northern] could benefit from a positive support

system or someone who’s out there that cares for them.” •  “Your project sounds great!” •  “To get this off the ground would be really exciting.” •  “This would be something our kids would really buy into, and our

teachers also.” •  Additionally, he has identified teachers who he feels would “really

embrace an all-female class.”

Community Testimonies

“I really like the idea of [doing this program at] Northern High School” - Dan Kimberg, StudentU

“Your project sounds interesting and like one for which public schools may have a need.” - Heidi Carter, Chair of DPS Board of Education

“This is great. I love your enthusiasm and passion.”- Sam Miglarase, Duke and Durham Regional Affairs Office

Additional Testimony

"You've built in sustainability and anchoring in a school which is good” – David Malone, Head of the Department of Education at Duke University

“Self-advocacy is definitely lacking in high schoolers in general, but definitely

in that group (ninth grade girls)” – Holly Guss, StudentU College Counselor

and former Northern High School Guidance Counselor  

“There is a definite need for this” – Zakiyyah Omar, Northern High School Guidance Counselor

Girls’ Hub Sponsors

The Baldwin Scholar’s Program has committed to

hosting Girls’ Hub and contributing a base

sponsorship of $1000 in annual funding.

Timeline

December 2014

•  Continue shadowing classes at Northern •  Get parental consent for focus groups •  Send out survey to Northern teachers

Spring 2015

•  Conduct focus groups with YMOP and ninth-grade girls •  Meet with Northern teachers to start developing

curriculum

Fall 2015-Spring 2016

•  Kick-off event and official launch •  Continue developing and adapting curriculum in

conjunction with Duke Department of Education and Northern High School faculty

Growth Potential

§  Expand program at Northern to include girls of other grade levels in the Girls’ Hub sessions, while maintaining the focus on ninth graders

References

1.  Willens, Michele. "Ninth Grade: The Most Important Year in High School." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 01 Nov. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.

2. How Schools Shortchange Girls. Rep. American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, 2013. Web. 9 Sept. 2014.

3.  "TED: Ideas worth Spreading." TED: Ideas worth Spreading. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.

Be Bold. Be Connected. Be a Leader.