About Us

Benchmarks

1997

SmartGrrls founded by Rachel Muir
The Board of Directors is formed and SmartGrrls incorporated
The Austin Community Foundation becomes fiscal sponsor of SmartGrrls, allowing agency to receive tax-exempt contributions

1998

1999

SmartGrrls and UT student organizations host first "Take A SmartGrrl to College Day"
SmartGrrls hosts first "Virtual Take Your Daughter to Work Day"
SmartGrrls All-Girl Advisory Board established
SmartGrrls launches its first week-long Technology Summer Camp
SmartGrrls creates Texas' first Girls' Technology Center

2000

SmartGrrls, Inc. becomes Girlstart
Girlstart becomes official partner for Take Our Daughters to Work Day with the Ms. Foundation
Executive Director Rachel Muir raises over $100,000 at the Austin 360 Summit to open the Girlstart Tech Center
Girlstart launches a full summer of summer camps and begins use of Robolab to teach girls robotics at summer camp
The Austin Chronicle awards Girlstart Best Non-Profit Organization, Best Effort on the Behalf of Girls, and Executive Director Rachel Muir Best Role Model for Girls

2001

Girlstart is the benefiting recipient of the 3M Half Mile Marathon
Girlstart holds a star-studded first year anniversary party at the Girlstart Tech Center with a special guest appearance from the Powerpuff Girls
Executive Director Rachel Muir is presented with the Use Your Life Award by Oprah Winfrey
Girlstart.com is launched, featuring online lessons, reviews and games for girls only
Girlstart expands its program nationwide, launching a CD-ROM version of its high-impact program for girls to over 20 schools across the country

2002

Girlstart holds first RoboBLAST robotics challenge at Mendez Middle School
Girlstart's most successful event yet, "We Can Do It!," is held at O. Henry Middle School, with an estimated crowd of 1,000 girls and guests Alexa Vega and Alicia Calaway
Executive Director Rachel Muir is a finalist in the non-profit category at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
Girlstart is awarded an Honorable Mention for the 2002 Maria Mitchell Women in Science Award
Girstart is awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation
Girlstart is awarded a grant from the Texas Education Agency

2003

Executive Director Rachel Muir is chosen as one of Fast Company Magazine's Fast 50
Girlstart.com is recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Public Service with a 2003 Texas Interactive Media Achievement Award
Girlstart hosted the first annual e² Summit
Girlstart is featured on the "Today" show
Girlstart hosts the first Digital Detectives training session at the 2003 CAST Conference in Houston, Texas

2004

Girlstart pilots a Girlstart Summer Math Camp program at Mendez and Westview middle schools
Rachel Muir is named a finalist for the 2004 Ethics in Business Awards
Girlstart receives a Nonny Award from Greenlights for Non Profit Success
Girlstart is awarded "Best Red Carpet Fanfare" from the Austin Chronicle
The Girlstart Tech Center moves to a new location at 1400 West Anderson Lane

2005

Girlstart begins an Annual Fund
Girlstart grows its Board of Directors to seven members
Girlstart completes a successful Digital Detectives program, serving over 1,000 teachers in the state of Texas
Girlstart serves almost twice as many girls in the location than the previous year

2006

Girlstart hosts Expanding Your Horizons
Girlstart creates the Alumnae Club
Girlstart is featured in a video at the World Congress of Information Technology
Girlstart trains 900 science teachers in Digital Detectives and posts over 700 science lessons online

2007

Girlstart launches Project IT Girl with 60 high school sophomore girls
Girlstart hosts first overnight summer academy for IT Girls at UT and OLLU
Girlstart featured in Fortune online (CNN Money)
Girlstart trains 400 science teachers in San Antonio
Pilot summer camp replication in San Antonio at OLLU
Girlstart hosts first Community Science Extravaganza with nearly 500 participants