The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy announced it has been awarded a grant from the PeyBack Foundation to expand and enhance CGLA’s EMPOWER Mentoring Program, which connects CGLA students with caring adult advocates who provide encouragement and support in academics, college and career planning, life skills, and leadership development.
CGLA launched its mentoring program on a small scale during the 2013-14 school year by matching the school’s most at-risk students with individual mentors. The program has continued to grow and evolve over the last three years to include mentoring in-house by faculty and staff and collaborating with corporate partners.
“We have developed a broad base of community partners who are supporting the EMPOWER Mentoring Program by hosting on-site mentoring sessions," said CGLA Executive Director Dr. Elaine Swafford. "The PeyBack Foundation grant will help us sustain the program and ensure all of our students have access to mentor program activities.”
"CGLA embraces a school-wide 'culture of achievement' philosophy which focuses on challenging students to push themselves to achieve academically and serve as leaders in their school and community. As girls are exposed to new experiences through the corporate mentoring component, they will have the opportunity to learn new life and leadership skills," officials said.