The Academy of Saint Elizabeth Celebrates International Day of the Girl

Led by the largest student organization on campus, the Academy of Saint Elizabeth recently held a week-long celebration of the worldwide importance of girls learning. Chapter president, Rose Massa ’15, said, “The Academy of Saint Elizabeth is very fortunate to offer its students participation in Girls Learn International (GLI), an incredible national organization focused on educating and energizing United States high school students in the global movement for girls’ access to education.” Girls Learn International pairs Chapters in the United States with Partner Schools in third-world countries where girls still lag behind their male counterparts and struggle to gain equal rights to education. This year, the Academy of Saint Elizabeth is partnered with The Doris Dillon School in Cambodia. Throughout the year, Girls Learn International will hold school-wide events and fundraisers to raise money for The Doris Dillon School as well as awareness for the GLI mission.

In 2011, the United Nations declared October 11 as the official International Day of the Girl. The goal of International Day of the Girl is simply to designate a day to celebrate girls’ rights as human rights. It is a day to acknowledge girls’ potential and to raise awareness about the issues girls face in the United States as well as around the globe. The Academy’s GLI chapter observed the week with special announcements, posters, a bake sale and the sale of new “Strong Girls – Strong World” bracelets to raise money for their partner school. In addition, to educate the student body on the global context of these issues, Girls Learn International organized a school-wide assembly at the Academy to screen segments of the documentary, Girl Rising. This documentary follows the stories of nine extraordinary girls living in the developing world: ordinary girls who confront tremendous challenges and overcome nearly impossible odds to pursue their dreams. This documentary is a testament to the power of women and education world-wide.

In her introductory remarks, Massa challenged the student body. She stated, “Girls Learn International is not solely about promoting girls’ education world-wide, it is about protecting girls’ rights. Change is coming. I believe in us. I believe we can provide this necessary change. We will all one day live in a world where gender-equality prevails. Until then, both men and women simply must keep progressing to this goal, one step at a time. Girls Learn International is taking the first step, who will join next?”

Visit the Academy of Saint Elizabeth on the web at http://www.aosenj.org