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Girls Inc. of Alameda Countys annual college shower
For the 12th year in a row, every senior enrolled in Girls Inc. of Alameda Countys college access program graduated high school and earned acceptance into a post-secondary institution.
OAKLAND, Calif. - For the 12th year in a row, every senior enrolled in Girls Inc. of Alameda County's college access program graduated high school and earned acceptance into a post-secondary institution.
This week, the organization celebrated that milestone — and 30 young women — at its annual college shower.
Onward and upward:
The event is part send-off, part celebration.
Graduating seniors and their families gathered for a dinner where partners including Sephora, JD Finish Line and DPR Construction donated hygiene kits, backpacks, dorm supplies and laptops for every graduate.
"Girls Inc. of Alameda County is inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold," said CEO Julayne Virgil. "We really want to make sure that our girls have the opportunity, the access, and the support to go on and pursue their dreams."
The college access program, known as CAN, walks students through every step of the college process — from researching schools and majors to completing applications.
The organization also hosts FAFSA workshops for parents and awarded $40,000 in scholarships to this year's graduating class.
What they're saying:
Amira Forte, a senior at Kipp Collegiate High School heading to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall, joined the program in seventh grade — over Zoom, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"In seventh grade, I could really hide behind the screen," she said. "But being around all the staff at Girls Inc., I just got really more confident. And now I'm here speaking."
Virgil said building that confidence is just as central to the program's mission as academic support.
The nonprofit serves 1,670 young people across the East Bay, drawing girls from 49 different middle and high schools to its downtown Oakland center for weekly after-school programming.
Summer sessions run eight hours a day and include STEM activities, often held on a college campus.
"We want to make sure the first time they're on a campus is not when they're going to college," Virgil said.
For Forte, Girls Inc. also opened a door to professional experience. She completed an internship through the organization during high school — one more step, Vigil said, in preparing girls not just for college, but for what comes after.
What's next:
With prom on Friday night and graduation around the corner, Forte said she is ready for what's ahead.
The Source: Interviews with Girls Inc. of Alameda County CEO, students