Strong, Smart, Bold
Maureen Grove is executive director of Girls Inc. of Washington County.
Girls Inc. helps the next generation of Washington County girls evolve into powerful young women
By Erin Jones / Photography by Mark Youngblood
Rae Tucker has noticed a pattern whenever she’s out around Hagerstown in a Girls Inc. van. Strangers will run up to her in excitement. “I was a Girls Inc. girl!” they tell her. In many cases these girls are now the age of having daughters and granddaughters of their own.
“It’s just so cute,” Tucker, Girls Inc. director of development said. “They may be grandmas now, out there somewhere living their lives, and they all have fond memories of being here. It’s always so fun to run into that.”
Girls Inc. of Washington County serves about 300 girls ages 6 to 18, each year. The afterschool program now has many generations of influence to its credit, having helped shape and enrich the lives of local young women since its 1948 founding as a Girls Club.
“They had the boys club and there was no place for the girls,” says executive director Maureen Grove. “They created a space in the basement of a local church, and then it just continued to grow.”
In 1961, Hagerstown Kiwanis Club donated property on Washington Avenue, and a building was designed as a clubhouse especially for girls. It was dedicated in 1963. As the decades passed, the mission of the organization evolved.
“In the early years, it was how to be a good housewife, how to cook, how to clean, how to dress when your husband comes home, sewing classes. Our missions changed quite a bit to now empowering girls to be strong, smart, bold, and self-sufficient,” Grove says.
In the early 90s, Girls Clubs of America changed its name to Girls Incorporated, and the Hagerstown Girls Club followed suit to become Girls Inc. of Washington County, which is the only Maryland affiliate of the larger national organization that dates to 1864. Founded in Waterbury, Connecticut, during both the Civil War and Suffrage movements, the organization prides itself on evolving to support and provide resources for girls and young women in whatever challenges the current moment presents.
Today the mission of Girls Inc., both nationally and locally, is to inspire the next generation of powerful girls who will go out and make their impact on the world.
Ten-year-olds Summer Jackson, left, and Jett Chapman at the Girls Inc. facility in Hagerstown.
“Being strong, smart, and bold means to be brave and try new things and just try your hardest to be yourself and do great. And be strong and try to be a leader,” said Jett Chapman, a fifth grader who participates in the program. “I love it so much because it probably helped a lot of girls…sometimes people go through rough times and sometimes you have to just be strong, smart, and bold.”
Summer Jackson, also a fifth grader says, “Strong, smart, and bold means you’re strong by stepping away from a situation you know is wrong. You’re smart by stepping away, and you’re bold even if no one else is making that choice.”
These three qualities guide the structure of the program and the curriculum.
“Strong programs are healthy living. Smart programs are academic support. Bold programs are social, emotional, learning, and life skills,” Grove says.
During the school year, Girls Inc. vans provide transportation from 13 area schools. Upon arrival, the girls receive a healthy snack and get help with their homework. Girls Inc. works closely with schools, teachers, and counselors to provide targeted academic support.
“We couldn’t do it without [the teachers].” Tucker says.
Between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. the girls take classes and participate in programs that are all categorized as either “strong,” “smart,” or “bold.” Classes cover a wide variety of topics, including fitness, gardening, STEM, literacy, leadership, and music therapy.
At 5:30 p.m. the girls receive a hot, healthy dinner, and return home at 6 p.m.
During the summer, the program offers a seven-week camp five days a week offering adventure and enrichment.
An estimated 85 percent of the girls come from lower income households, and the organization seeks to ease the financial burden for families. It provides new shoes and a backpack full of school supplies before the start of the academic year, winter coats and boots, and a three-month supply of hygiene products, through an initiative called “Project Red.”
Rae Tucker, director of development for Girls Inc. sits with Summer Jackson and Jett Chapman.
“We’re trying to break that generational poverty,” Grove says. “The way to do that is to give them a vision for the future. That’s why we try to do so many different opportunities in the county and outside the county, and the state…[We] expose them to different career opportunities, to give them the confidence that they can do and be whatever they want, with support.”
Curriculum and resources help to address risk factors like sex trafficking, mental health struggles, and addiction. Last year the organization partnered with Washington County Goes Purple, which introduced programming for drug prevention, even for the young ones.
“[It was] age appropriate, but they’re building those skills already to learn how to say no to drugs, which I thought was incredible,” Tucker says. “They brought in some amazing speakers. A speaker came and talked to our high school kids, which was just so inspiring for them. That was a wonderful partnership. They’re doing great work over there.”
Since Grove became executive director in 1997, she says one of the biggest evolutions the program has seen is the increase in community partnerships. Groups like Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kiwanis, as well as officials from the board of education, board of health, law enforcement, and beyond all partner with Girls Inc.
“We work with so many different community partners to help fill gaps across all programming areas, not just ours, but across the county. I think that’s huge because before I felt like we all lived in our little silos,” Grove says. “Now I think, as a community, we’re really making headway because of the collaborations and the work we do with other non-profits, our local government, local churches, and businesses and leaders in the community.”
In addition to executive director, Grove has added the nickname of “Muddy Matriarch” to her titles with the 2013 creation of Muddy Mamas, the popular Girls Inc. fundraiser and 5k mud run. Over the course of the untimed race, participants face 18 obstacles, all designed to build confidence and courage.
The inaugural race set a goal of 500 participants and ended up with 2,000. The race each September continues to be a popular fixture on the organization’s calendar and in the local community.
“I feel like it’s really changed the community because I think so many community women look forward to it every year. It’s one day a year where it’s all women in their power.” Tucker says. “That energy and the enjoyment of that day is so impactful.”
The race is open exclusively to women and girls aged 10 and up, though men are encouraged to join as volunteers.
“It’s inspiring to see the dads and the husbands supporting and having signs.” Grove says. “It’s not your typical mud run. It’s your non-traditional runners. I’m not a runner, but it’s about the camaraderie and the friendships and generations running together and groups of friends, moms, grandmothers and daughters, co-workers,”
As the generations run together in support of Girls Inc. they also walk the halls of Girls Inc. In Grove’s tenure she has seen some of the girls she worked with return as adults with girls of their own. Grove and Tucker also hear reports of the accomplishments of the alumnae, their educational and professional milestones and the positive impact of the relationships that guided and encouraged them.
Supportive friendships among the girls is another important effect that has arisen from the program. Fifth graders Summer and Jett attend the same school, though they aren’t in the same class. Riding the van together to Girls Inc., they both consider a highlight of their days and their time at Girls Inc.
“I didn’t really talk to her at school until Girls Inc., and then we started talking in the van because we were next to each other. That’s my favorite thing. That lifts me up every day,” says Jett.
Girls Inc. is now two years shy of its 80th birthday. As the vans carry both a new generation of Washington County women along the streets of Hagerstown, the sight still evokes smiles, waves, and greetings from the generations who have gone before. Inside the vans, friendships are built, confidence grows, and purpose renewed to face the future as strong, smart, bold girls.
MORE INFORMATION
To register for the Muddy Mamas Mud Run on September 19 visit www.muddymamasmudrun.com. For more information about Girls Inc. Visit www.girlsinc-md.org