Giving Girls Needed Direction

The American Assn. of University Women has been an important advocate for the interests of girls. Last weekend in Laguna Beach, the organization demonstrated why.

At a conference at Laguna Beach High School, a group of girls and their mothers considered a topic that was fitting for early in the school year and well-suited to the times. It was how to prepare girls for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

The event was one of a number being sponsored around the country by the organization. The laudable goal was to get girls thinking about the full range of possibilities open to them.

Among the good ideas on the table was a suggestion to help girls learn about career options at an earlier age and to receive advice from working women.

The session was good for mothers too. One mother said that the conference helped her to be a better parent to her daughters. For adults there was even a separate session.

The girls met with a facilitator who helped them think about the range of options they might have for their lives. The discussion turned up a number of concerns about family and career and about dealing with the changes ahead in their lives.

From one participant, the girls heard about the importance of setting priorities and making good choices for the future. For the students to have adults listen to their concerns and for them to set aside assumptions about how much they can expect to accomplish surely was time well spent.

The association has done some good work in recent years in this general area. It has sent girls to camp to encourage them to think about careers in science and math, for example. It has been a force in drawing attention to gender inequities in public education. And locally, it has recognized good work done with teenagers.

This commitment to helping girls realize their potential is an important force for building the future of Orange County. The Laguna Beach conference was a good example of this continuing effort.