New Website for Girls to Focus on Issues not Trends

New Website for Girls to Focus on Issues not Trends

Non-profit launches ad-free website targeting 9-14 year-old girls' educational interests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 20, 2000

Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold(sm)

NEW YORK, NY - October 16, 2000 - Girls want more from life than falling in love and buying trendy clothes!

That's why Girls Incorporated(R), the national organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold, has launched a new website for girls (www.girlsinc.org) featuring personal stories from young women around the country and exciting ways for them to learn about math, science, technology and social issues.

Having worked with girls for more than 50 years, Girls Inc. knows girls want facts and they want to learn -- all while having fun. That's why you won't find any pop-up ads, love quizzes or models on this site.

Girls have access tools and information they can use to gain a leadership edge and empower their own lives. Instead of the typical "Test your love" quiz, girls at girlsinc.org can dare to take the "Be a Risktaker" quiz and learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy risks. They'll also have the chance to create their own presidential platform, learn about philanthropy or get statistics about economic investments.

Every month, a different girl from one of our Girls Incorporated affiliates nationwide will host the site. The Girls Inc. guest-of-the-month will feature a biographical sketch, picture and writing of a girl from a local Girls Incorporated affiliate.

"Girls are telling adults that they have sweeping interests that are not just limited to pop culture concerns like beauty and fashion," said Sandra E. Timmons, Interim President of Girls Incorporated. "More and more girls are logging on to the internet to find information on just about any subject. And on this site, girls have ownership of what they are reading because they are posting their writing, speaking to each other about issues important to them and asking us the questions."

In fact, girls have said their interests are far reaching. According to a Harris Interactive poll, commissioned by Girls Inc., 53 percent of girls said it is true that "people think girls are only interested in love and romance."

On this site girls can provide encouragement and inspiration for each other. They can learn about issues like politics, health and money, and exchange ideas on a web message board about these and other issues that impact their day-to-day lives. They can also explore a variety of successful women's stories by reading frequently updated features on a diverse group of prominent female leaders.

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