“I know without Girls Inc I would have been a completely different person that I am today. When I first walked through those Girls Inc. doors I was a shy girl, with not too many friends, that didn’t really think that what I had to say mattered. But by the end of my first summer with Girls Inc, I walked out an entirely different person. Let’s just say once I heard the words “strong, smart and bold” I was never the same person – that shy girl was no where to be seen! I started walking with my head held high because I learned to be confident in who I was. I learned that what I had to say mattered and started speaking up for myself more in all aspects of my life. And though overall I experienced a 180 in who I was as a person in just one short summer, the most important part of all of that was that I finally had friends, not just friends, sisters. I will forever be thankful for Girls Inc. not just for molding me into the woman I am today, but for also being a home away from home.”