Judge Leslie Kobayashi
Mission
The Girls Got GRIT (GGG) Mentorship Program at Sacred Hearts Academy inspires and prepares the next generation of female leaders by connecting high school students with professional mentors and internship companies to enhance skill development and build a professional network. By uniting the Academy’s young women with inspirational local leaders and companies, Girls Got GRIT is retaining valuable talent and creating a pipeline for workforce development in Hawaii. Goals:
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Vision
It takes a village to raise a child. This timeless quote reflects the power of relationships in child development because human connection is the foundation of individual and communal growth. The transition from high school to college and then into the workforce is naturally uncomfortable and challenging. The presence of mentors to guide and encourage teenagers along this journey creates healthy habits and provides a neuro-framework for longevity. Today’s teenage girls are plagued by stress more than any other generation before them. In the rapidly changing landscape of business and technology, it is imperative to teach the skillsets that encourage a flexible approach to pressure, a value for social networks and a desire for life-long learning. Practicing powerful behavior in a professional setting solidifies resilience skills and creates a foundation to sustain a healthy future. The Hawaiian workforce would benefit from a program that nurtures professional skills as Hawaii is experiencing a brain drain. Mainland talent is often unable to thrive in our expensive economy and many move away for competitive salaries and lower housing costs. Local students, however, were raised in our challenging economy and embrace the values that thrive in Hawaii. Yet many local students move to the mainland for college and have difficulty returning home to find reasonable employment because they sacrificed the professional networks that could have benefited career success. Sacred Hearts Academy recognizes the gap between the academic, professional and social skills needed to be competitive in the Hawaiian workforce. This is the inspiration for the Girls Got GRIT Mentorship Program. Valuable mentors inspire, motivate, and shape high school students to retain and empower talent for Hawaii. GGG produces a generation of valuable young women empowered with Grace, Resilience, Initiative and Tenacity! |