Happy MyBurger Day! Today, go to any MyBurger location, order up your favorites and be sure to mention the CGL. Our friends at MyBurger are going to generously donate 50% of what you spend to the CGL. This includes ice cream, sides, beer/wine, as well as their delicious burgers! Easy peasy!

All three of MyBurger locations (Calhoun, Downtown Minneapolis, & Stadium Village) will be giving back to the Center for Girls' Leadership today. 

Providing meaningful and valuable programming to inspire girls today to become the leaders of tomorrow is the keystone of our success. Your contributions help make that possible by covering the costs of planning and conducting our workshops and programs.

Thank you for supporting the Center for Girls' Leadership!

Happy June!

We are excited to announce our annual 5K event! This year, we made the decision to not host our own race. We want your contributions to CGL to be something you feel good about, so we are dedicated to ensuring we maximize every dollar that is donated to us. By participating in the Esprit de She race, not only do we have the opportunity to support a community event focused on celebrating women, we're able to eliminate all overhead costs. This means 100% of your contribution goes directly to the CGL, and not the expenses associated with hosting an event. 

We will be running and walking  in the Esprit de She 5K and 10K in Maple Grove on Thursday, September 18th. So join the CGL #SHEarmy for the ultimate girl's night out: a fun 5K with friends, happy hour, a Bubbly Bar, complimentary massages and manis, all while supporting girls and leadership!

In addition to joining our team for the event, we want you to join our fundraising team! Our goal is simple: a 5K for $5K. Help us raise $5,000 this summer for the Center for Girls' Leadership!

Providing meaningful and valuable programming to inspire girls today to become the leaders of tomorrow is the keystone of our success. Your contributions help make that possible by covering the costs of planning and conducting our workshops. While programming is our #1 focus, this year, we're also focused on creating the foundation we need to grow the scope and scale of CGL quickly. Integral to this will be establishing funds to be a sustainable organization with at least one full-time employee who is solely dedicated to our success. Your donation will not only help us sustain the CGL, but also take it to the next level.

Ready to sign up? Here's how:

STEP 1: SAVE THE DATE
Join the Center for Girls' Leadership for the Esprit de She 5K/10K in Maple Grove on September 18, 2014.

STEP 2: SIGN UP FOR THE 5K
Become a member of the CGL #SHEarmy by signing up for the race at www.espritdeshe.com. Use promo code CGL2014 for 15% off your race registration.

STEP 3: JOIN THE CGL FUNDRAISING TEAM
Next, add yourself to our CGL fundraising team! Visit www.razoo.com/cgl2014 and under "Join This Team," click Fundraise. Choose a fundraising name and start fundraising!

STEP 4: HERE WE GO!
As a member of our #SHEarmy, you will receive fundraising tips and invites to team training nights throughout the summer. Raise $150 for the Center for Girls' Leadership and you'll earn a CGL t-shirt. The top fundraiser for the CGL 5K for $5K Team will earn a special grand prize!

For more information, check out our FAQ.

Earlier this week, I signed up for what will be my second 5K: the Esprit de She 5K. While I definitely have to hit the pavement, I'm excited represent the Center for Girls' Leadership at the event. Today we are launching our fundraising team. Our #SHEarmy will be a force to be reckoned with. Together, we have the ability to take the CGL to the next level. So, what do you say? Will you join our team?

Alexandra Young, #SHEarmy General
Executive Director, Founder, and Chief Fundraiser
The Center for Girls' Leadership

Recently, we've added new members to our board of directors. At our retreat last weekend, we began by asking each person how they would define leadership. Here are our responses:

"A leader helps a team focus its energy and skills toward achievable, measurable and inspirational objectives. She keeps the path clear of obstacles, and celebrates and rewards success. She leads with vision, energy, empathy, and by example." -- Jen Thorson

"Inspiring action in others; guiding by providing/being an example  of the type of action you want to inspire; insight & compassion." -- Rebekah Oltmans

"Leadership is seeing the potential in the people around you and encouraging them to be the best they can be. Leaders can be vocal or quiet but they use their skills and talents to get things done!" -- Katie Iacarella

"Leadership is action, a direction forward, values-based decision making, a way to change the world." -- Alex Young

"The ability to inspire, encourage the best of people to bring a greater good." -- Brittney Clemens

"Ability to inspire thought and action in others." -- Callie Koeniger

"Leadership is having a mission/focus and driving others towards it. The ability to be a role model for others." -- McKinzie Hopkins

"My definition of leadership is a personal dedication to collaboration & outcomes to move a group forward towards their goal(s)." -- Mary Lenertz

"Leadership is understanding who you are, what you bring to the table and having the belief to utilize those strengths to make a difference." -- Rebecca Bergner

"Creating a vision and inspiring others to achieve." -- Michelle Freese

So tell us, how do you define leadership?

Alexandra Young
Executive Director, Founder, and Chief Fundraiser
The Center for Girls' Leadership

Due to a high level of interest and Spring Break scheduling difficulties, the Center for Girls' Leadership has postponed the Steps to Success: Women in STEM event. We will announce a new date as soon as it is confirmed. Thank you for your understanding!

Two weeks ago, a few CGL board members and friends gathered to watch the Opening Ceremonies for the Sochi Winter Olympics. I was full of hope and excitement, anxiously waiting to experience the magic moments that  Since then, I have obsessively followed each day's events, cheered on Team USA, celebrated the successes of our female (and male) athletes and felt the heartbreak of defeat during different events.

But the thing that always strikes me the most is the lessons we can learn from sports. The girls and women we cheer on during the Olympics instantly become role models for girls growing up, dreaming of representing their country in the Olympics. Each athlete, just by competing at the Olympics, teach us how to take risks, win and lose graciously, never give up, and to follow our dreams. Their passion for their sport is something we can all look up to.

Growing up, I was lucky enough to be able to play and try a variety of athletic endeavors, because of the women that came before me, and encouraged me to try sports and to embrace my athleticism. For me, my mother and grandmother are two women who inspired me to give sports a try.

Whether you see your role model in a family photo album or on the medal podium at the Olympics, she can inspire you to push yourself further than you could have imagined. This month, the Center for Girls' Leadership is celebrating girls and women in sports. 


So tell us, who do you celebrate?


Alexandra (Campion) Young
Executive Director, Founder, and Chief Fundraiser
The Center for Girls' Leadership