Programs for Girls
Back in the day, girls were supposed to simply “enjoy being a girl.” They still do. But their lives are so much more complicated than their mothers ever dreamed possible.
HGNA understands the challenges and frustrations facing today’s girls—everything from narrowly defined attributes of “beauty” to the groaning pressures of grades, extracurricular activities and boys. Our goal is to provide resources, guidance and support to the girls of our community, helping them withstand the unhealthy pressures of the culture as they grow in strength and maturity. Among the programs HGNA currently offers are:
Chick Chat
Chick Chat is a day-long workshop where fourth- through sixth-grade girls can explore their interests and issues, build interpersonal skills and have fun—all within a safe and nurturing environment. Throughout the day, girls hear motivational presentations, enjoy a healthy lunch and break into small groups with trained facilitators to discuss topics such as cultivating inner beauty and developing healthy family and peer relationships. This event is designed to provide girls with inspiration, guidance and perspective about the changes they are encountering in their lives.
For more information: Dowload a flyer (PDF)
E-mail: chickchat@hgna.org.
Snowflake
Snowflake allows middle and junior high school students to explore leadership and communication skills, healthy decision-making, substance abuse prevention and ways to resist negative peer  influences. Planned and implemented by trained high school students with adults serving in advisory roles, the day-long event includes a dynamic keynote speaker, several fun group activities, a pizza dinner and a dance. The program is a collaborative effort between HGNA, Downers Grove North and South high schools, Lakeview Junior High, Downers Grove Township and the Downers Grove Police Department.
Yoga Club
This free club will provide seventh- and eighth-grade girls with a way to positively cope with stress, gain physical strength, clear their minds and make better choices. The monthly club begins at 7 p.m. with an hour of yoga followed by an hour of downtime to relax, reflect and socialize with friends over refreshments. The class is taught by Christy Greenblatt, a certified yoga instructor and secondary school teacher. Yoga Club starts on January 9, 2010 and continues on February 13, March 13, April 17 and May 8. Girls can attend as often as they wish. There is no registration fee, but reservations are required by e-mailing: yogaclub@hgna.org.
Girl Scout badge programs
In partnership with the Prairie Winds Council of the Girl Scouts of America and the Downers Grove Park District, HGNA has developed badge programs for Brownie, Junior and Cadet scouts. Offered through the park district, the current offerings are "The ABCs of Friendship" for second- and third-grade girls, "Mean Girls -- How to Deal" for girls in fourth and fifth grades, and "Not Much Just Chilling: The Challenges of Communicating in Cyberspace" for scouts in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. Click here for more information.
Girls Circle
A weekly after-school program that teaches resiliency, strength and interpersonal skills to girls 9 through 13 years old. Girls Circles provide a safe, creative environment in which girls can give voice to their feelings, ideas and opinions under the guidance of a trained facilitator. By the end of each session, participants will develop enhanced judgment and critical thinking skills while learning to value their perceptions. Girls Circle programs are offered in conjunction with the Downers Grove Park District. Click here for more information
Programs for Parents and Professionals
 Girls these days face so many challenges their elders never did and, as parents and professionals, we must learn how to guide them along paths we never trod. It can be challenging and frustrating.
HGNA is committed to providing resources, support and education for parents of adolescent girls, professionals and the community as a whole. We offer workshops, training and discussion groups through which parents and other caring adults can enrich their understanding of the challenges facing adolescents and gain confidence in how to deal with them effectively.
HGNA also works to raise public awareness of issues specific to adolescent girls by maintaining a website and serving as a resource to the media.
Recent and current programs for parents and professionals include:
- Bouncing Back: Back to School With a New Set of Tools, a free parent workshop featuring Dr. Robert Brooks, a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty, best-selling author and leading expert on resilience, self-esteem, motivation and family relationships. The workshop was held in conjunction with Downers Grove Grade School District 58.
- How to be Cyber Savvy...When Your Kids are Cyber Social, a free workshop for parents of girls and boys in fourth grade and older at 7 p.m., Weds., April 15 in the Downers Grove Village Hall. The workshop will feature expert speakers who will explain why youth are engaging in potentially risky behavior online and via other electronic media and will help parents understand what to watch for. The evening will also provide practical tools and strategies for navigating the social networking sites and the whole new realm of adolescent interaction.
- Building a Solid Mother-Daughter Relationship, a presentation for Moms held in conjunction with Chick Chat
- Effective Coaching to Positively Enhance the Lives of Your Girls, a workshop offered to coaches of local sports organizations.
- Stressed-Out Girls, a workshop with psychologist and best-selling author Dr. Roni Cohen-Sandler.
- A two-day facilitator training session in the Girls Circle curriculum. The training was funded by a federal grant obtained with the help of the DuPage County Regional Office of Education.
- Parents’ workshops on internet safety co-sponsored with the Township of Downers Grove.
- Workshops on relational aggression which spotlight the problem of bullying and teach parents and professionals how to recognize and deal with this growing problem among adolescent girls.
- A monthly drop-in discussion group featuring topics of special interest to parents of adolescents.
- A monthly e-newsletter for parents and professionals. Click here to subscribe.
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