Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2006
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Hill Robenalt, Hoopla Media & Communications
512.653.9656 or 512.382.0303
jennifer@hooplamedia.com
Austin-Area 12 and 13 Year Olds Accepted To Prestigious Universities
Girlstart and ExxonMobil Partner to Inspire Girls toward a College Education at 8th Annual “Take a Girl to College Day”
(AUSTIN) On March 2nd most Austin-area middle schoolers will be at their desks dutifully learning the essential skills that will lead them on to high school, but 90 Austin girls will be skipping straight to college!
Girlstart is pleased to announce that together with ExxonMobil, they will introduce some of Central Texas’ young women to the fun, learning and life-changing potential of college at this year’s Take a Girl To College Day.
This exciting annual event allows 7th and 8th grade students in Girlstart’s after-school programs to glimpse life as a student at the University of Texas at Austin for a day. The day’s events are designed to allow young women, particularly those from under-served populations, to form a real and tangible picture of what it will be like to attend college. The idea is that giving girls a chance to see themselves as college students will inspire them to work hard toward that goal.
Girls will start the day by learning that they have been accepted to a prestigious university. The excitement is palpable as a room full of young women who may have thought attending college was an unattainable goal now have the chance to experience college life for a day and consider a future major and career path.
Girls will also participate in a science lab, get an up close look at dorm life, eat in the dorm cafeteria and spend a fun day alongside a new college friend – a current female UT student.
The day ends with what is always a moving moment: each girl makes a decision to sign a “college promise.” It is her commitment to work hard at school and soon return to college as a real university student!
“We at ExxonMobil consider inspiring these young women to pursue higher education an investment in our own future,” says spokesperson Sara K. Tays. “These are the girls that will be our scientists and engineers of tomorrow!”
Girlstart founder and executive director Rachel Muir points out what an invaluable experience this can be for participants. “For so many of our girls, particularly those from lower-income households, this is the first time that they will personalize the college dream. They will experience a life that truly can be theirs, and they will learn how to make those big dreams real possibilities. We are looking forward to the day that many of them will become the first college graduates in their families!”
ABOUT GIRLSTART
Girlstart is a non-profit organization created to educate and empower girls in math, science and technology. Founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, Girlstart has an enviable record of engaging, educating, and motivating girls to enjoy and become more proficient in mathematics and science in elementary school, middle school, and beyond. Child Magazine named the organization one of the top five programs for girls across the country. Girlstart offers a variety of educational formats designed for girls ages 9-15 through after-school programs, Saturday camps, and summer day camps. Girlstart serves a population that includes at-risk and minority girls.
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