Text Provided by the YWCA Tri-County Area

A recent session of the YWCA Tri-County Area’s “Great Girls Today” program incorporated watershed education.

The YW’s youth programs for girls combine group mentoring in social/emotional learning with fitness and nutrition practice, career exploration, and leadership development to nurture the “whole girl”.  Youth empowerment leaders engage girls in grades 4-12 in a variety of activities designed to help them build healthy habits, resist risky behaviors, and contribute to their communities.

Usually meeting in the evenings at YW’s offices on King Street, the groups are now meeting via teleconferencing, joining either on computers or by phone.

In observance of Earth Day, and for April’s career exploration program, the girls met with Sarah Crothers, education director for Schuylkill River Greenways. The Schuylkill River is the main source of drinking water throughout the area, Crothers told the girls; she shared a video that helped the girls understand the role rivers and streams play in their lives. Crothers also talked about water pollution, using a large display board to demonstrate to the girls how pollutants and litter are washed by rain into river.

Crothers and Piacine led discussions about water use and waste, closing the Earth Day discussion by asking the girls to be mindful of their water use, to avoid using disposable water bottles whenever possible, and to be leaders among their family and friends by setting examples of stewardship of the planet. To learn more about SRG education opportunities, please CLICK HERE.

The YW Virtual programs are offered at the same times as the in-person programs. All girls are welcome to join the appropriate age group:

• Girls In Charge/Pottstown Middle School (grades 6-8): 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Mondays
• Girls In Charge/Pottsgrove Middle School (grades 6-8): 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays
• Great Girls Today/all schools: 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays
• Girls Take the Lead/Owen J. Roberts High School (grades 9-12): 1-2 p.m. Thursdays
• Girls In Charge/Owen J. Roberts Middle School (grades 6-8): 2:30-3:30 p.m. Thursdays

Girls and their parents can learn more about YW’s Youth Empowerment Programs at https://zcu.io/o0U0.  In addition, YW CHAMPS fitness programming for preschool children and their families is available on YW’s YouTube channel: tinyurl.com/YWYoutube.

YWCA Tri-County Area is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. YW is a leader in advocacy for women and girls, works to eliminate racism, and empowers women through quality affordable childcare, adult literacy, and a host of programs to support the health and vitality of women, girls, and families.