North Dallas AAUW celebrates Early College High School women

For over a decade, the North Dallas AAUW women have mentored women attending CFBISD’s Early College High School at the Brookhaven Campus. On May 5, the GEM (Girls Empowered by Mentoring) program hosted its annual celebration dinner for the mentors and scholars. Laughter and memories were shared over tables filled with delicious Italian favorites. Stories of the impact the mentors and scholars made together were exchanged along with gifts, tears and lots of hugs. The Olive Garden on Beltline Road helped make this dinner another success!

For over a decade, dozens of young GEM scholars have looked forward to dining with their mentors at the end of the school year. This year, eight of the nineteen Early College High School (ECHS) students are graduating with a high school diploma, as well as a two-year associate's degree that they will now use towards earning a full university degree.

In 2015 the members of the North Dallas branch of AAUW implemented GEM as an educational outreach. AAUW finds volunteer women of all ages in our community to spend valuable time over nine months of the academic calendar, each meeting with one of a select group of ECHS junior and senior students.

Each mentor helps her scholar successfully complete a rigorous academic schedule while navigating the challenges of family life, emotional teenage years, parttime jobs and community service work. Working with the ECHS staff, the young women are then aided in applying these efforts toward winning scholarships at four-year institutions of their choice.

GEM is a very rewarding experience for both the volunteer mentors and the young college women. If you are interested in being part of GEM, please go to www.NorthDallas-TX.aauw.net and click the GEM drop-down menu. The member contact for the up-coming year is Heather McDonald at hmazin@verizon.net.

Look over the AAUW activities as well. Since 1881, AAUW has led national programs and legislative lobbying efforts toward equality for women and girls in education, sports and the workplace. Our North Texas members also enjoy book and movie discussion groups and social activities. Join us!

_{Local News Matters.}