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Girls With Goals Alliance Mentoring Alliance To Host Luncheon Speaker: Ashley Smith, Miss United States 2011

PORTSMOUTH

In honor of National Mentoring Month, The Girls with Goals Alliance (GWGA) is having its first annual luncheon on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 1 p.m. at the Edmonds Center, 2714 Frederick Blvd. Portsmouth, VA 23702. The luncheon will recognize and celebrate the success of the mentors, mentees, and community members who have made contributions to the program. An estimated 300 girls and women from several Hampton Roads women’s and youth organizations will be in attendance.

The keynote speaker for this inaugural event is Chesapeake native, Ashley Smith, Miss United States 2011 and Miss Virginia United States 2011 Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for youth (ages 9-18). Proceeds will benefit GWGA programs.

Every year, the Girls with Goals Alliance program manages up to 15 mentor/mentee pairs. The program aims to increase awareness of educational, cultural, recreational, and career opportunities. Nine girls have been mentored since GWGA was launched in 2009 by Melvin and Delores Perry. Through their church’s outreach efforts, the Perrys were asked to take a youth under their wings and encouraged them to do well in life. The Perrys did so for two years with two girls. However, they quickly realized that there were so many other young ladies who needed the same encouragement.

So today the Perrys are committed to promoting self- confidence, academic excellence, the need for creating strong community ties and personal accountability to name only a few.

The program targets young women ages 9 – 18 living in the Hampton Roads area who may be at risk of quitting school, engaging in illegal drugs, becoming pregnant, or encountering violence. Young women get the chance to develop one-on-one relationships with their mentors. Mentors are required to be at least 25 years or older. Volunteers ages 21-24 years old will have the opportunity to participate in the “Mentor Assist” program.