GIRLS INC. OF METRO DENVER
Denver
News: The phrase of the day at My Bold Future, a fundraising luncheon for Girls Inc. of Metro Denver, seemed to be “Change the world, not the girl.”
It resonated not just with the 600 guests but also with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Whitney Eichinger, senior vice president and chief communications officer for Southwest Airlines, the event’s presenting sponsor, the 2024 Catalyst for Girls award recipients, and the nine Girls Inc. Scholars, whose lives have been enriched in ways too numerous to count thanks to opportunities afforded by Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.
In his welcoming remarks, Johnston recalled a day when his daughter came home upset because she’d been told no boy would ever want to date her if she didn’t stop talking and start minding her manners. “That didn’t sit well with me at all,” Johnston said, adding that girls who speak their minds shouldn’t be shushed and that his daughter’s manners are fine, thank you very much.
Eichinger praised Girls Inc. for helping to shape “Strong and smart lifestyles for the girls who are our future pilots and engineers.” She also said Southwest is giving each of the 2024 scholars a flight to the college they’ll be attending or to visit the campus of a college they’re considering.
Jim Kellogg accepted the Community Catalyst award for the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club. He noted that the team hosts numerous programs that help introduce girls to the world of professional sports. He was proud that the Rockies chose Girls Inc. as the beneficiary of its annual charity fundraiser.
Prologis was given the Corporate Catalyst award, and its chief accounting officer, Lori Palazzolo, accepted it by emphasizing how important it is to have girls reach their highest potential. “It’s important because one day they’re going to be your doctors, dentists, and civic leaders.” Palazzolo also is treasurer of the Girls Inc. board of directors.
The Individual Catalyst award went to Lisa Barker, the retired principal engineer at Ball Aerospace. “I was a girl once,” she said with a laugh, “I remember what it was like to stay in the background. I could be strong and smart but not bold.”
Shiloh Bernal, Ava Conley, Aysha Deolarte, Jelane Elamo, Anastacia Gundrum, Lola Johnson, Karinne Jones, Citlali Mares, and Noha Shahba were the 2024 Girls Inc. Scholars. They look forward to careers in pediatric medicine, environmental engineering, veterinary medicine, neuroscience research, and orthopedic surgery.
“This year we are awarding $95,000 in scholarships,” said Kayla Garcia, Girls Inc. of Metro Denver’s president and chief executive officer. “In 2025, our goal is $100,000.”
Which should be in reach, given that proceeds from the May 22 event held in Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts stand at $120,362.
About the organization: In partnership with schools and other community organizations, Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. At its campus on W. Colfax Ave., the focus is on helping girls learn to value themselves, take risks, and discover and develop their inherent strengths so that they grow up healthy, educated, and independent and can navigate gender, economic, and social barriers.
Website: girlsincdenver.org
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