Below are projects girls across Maricopa created and implemented in the 2007-08 program year.

Team 1, Boys Hope Girls Hope, Phoenix: Get It Across!
Girl Action Team 1 was troubled about the lack of information and awareness regarding the abuse they saw happening in their community. The girls researched abuse, and created fliers to increase community awareness of abuse and how to stop it. The girls also made t-shirts that they wore at Metro Center Mall to act as human billboards. By passing out flyers with resources for abuse victims while wearing their t-shirts, the awareness campaign educated the community and left lasting knowledge about abuse.

Team 2, Orangedale Elementary School, Phoenix: Feel Better, Get Better
The girls from Team 2 are enthusiastic about leading healthy lifestyles and were concerned that not everyone shared their passion. The team worked together and met weekly to design a health food bake sale. At the bake sale, they shared posters about healthful behaviors to educate the buyers of the food. They also donated money from the bake sale to a local organization that promotes healthy living.

Team 3, Centerra Mirage Middle School, Goodyear: Stop Graffiti in Our Neighborhood
The girls in Team 3 think graffiti is ugly and they are tired of seeing it in their neighborhood.  The girls wrote and performed an original play that focused on the beautification rather then degradation of their community. The whole school gathered to see the performance. The presentations inspired the students in their school to take pride in the community and use other forms of expression to have their voices heard.

Team 4, Carl Hayden High School, Phoenix: A Day in the Life of a Teen Mom
The girls at Carl Hayden were alarmed at the rate of teen pregnancy in their community. The girls decided to create a video on how hard it is to be a teen mom. They gathered information, borrowed equipment, and conducted interviews. They then received permission from administrators, and showed the video to local middle school students. The video encouraged students to challenge their beliefs about sex and make different choices to prevent teen pregnancy.

Team 5, Griffith Elementary, Phoenix: Only You Can Prevent Teen Pregnancy
The girls at Griffith were concerned about how many teens in their community were becoming pregnant. The girls wrote, developed, and produced an educational commercial about teen pregnancy. The commercial is changing young girls’ frame of mind about sex through education and support. The team hopes to air their commercial during their weekly school announcements. 

Team 6, Crittenton Academy, Phoenix: Now or Later?
Team 6 believes that jealousy leads to controlling and abusive relationships among their peers. The girls created a skit titled “Now and Later” showing how jealousy can lead to controlling and abusive relationships.  It emphasized that if you are in an abusive relationship, it’s important to leave now – not wait until later. During the school performance, the girls distributed informational cards with domestic violence resources, and Now and Later candies. The girls also designed a quiz to make the audience aware of the differences between healthy and unhealthy jealousy. The girls want to stop the cycle of dating violence in their community.

Team 7, South Mountain High School, Phoenix: Poetry Nights
Girl Action Team 7 was overwhelmed by the racism that exists in their community. They hosted a poetry night addressing the issue of racism. The girls distributed information about their project to the school’s Literary Club and English teachers, gathered poetry submissions, and read and chose submissions. They then secured space at the school, advertised the event, and invited the school’s Step Team. The Poetry night educated the community about racism, and they are hoping it inspires the community to take action and challenge their beliefs and behaviors about race and racism.

Team 8, Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center, Phoenix: Prejudice in America
The girls at AAEC High School were sick of the prejudice they witnessed and experienced. The girls discussed the cause and effects of prejudice, and then created a video on prejudice.  They wrote a script, secured studio time and transportation, and borrowed the necessary equipment. When they completed the video, they posted it on YouTube. The video strives to challenge beliefs in order to change behaviors and stop the cycle of prejudice that is passed on from generation to generation. The video leaves viewers with a positive message about acceptance and understanding.

Team 9, Gateway Early College High School, Phoenix: Meth Killer
Team 9 was fired up by the use of Meth and how it is affecting their community. The girls researched information about Methamphetamines and developed a presentation about Meth for elementary school students. They then held two bake sales, secured transportation, received permission from the principal, and delivered presentations to elementary school students about the risks and consequences of doing Meth. The presentations gave elementary students the information they need to make positive choices about not using drug.

Team 10, Sullivan Elementary, Phoenix: Racism Hurts
Team 10 says words really do hurt and they are tired of people using racial slurs to be mean to each other.   The girls took action by creating a video clip showing people the causes and effects of racism.  They interviewed administrators and teachers in their schools, as well as a GFC volunteer consultant on ways to fight racism in the community. They hope that by showing their video clip, they will help people understand that whatever race you are; we all have feelings that get hurt by racism. 

Team 11, Hamilton Elementary, Phoenix: Care More Not Less About Your Pets
Girl Action Team 11 was disgusted by the treatment of pets in their community. The team felt that the root cause of pet mistreatment was people’s carelessness. The girls used their passion for art to design bookmarks with messages about how to care for pets. The team partnered with City of Phoenix Libraries to distribute the bookmarks. The bookmarks educated people on the importance of spaying and neutering, showing love and attention, and keeping pets healthy.

Team 12, Madison Park Middle School, Phoenix: Joining a Gang is Wack
The girls of Team 12 were tired of the graffiti, intimidation, and racism spread by gangs. The team discussed gang activity, wrote a script, borrowed equipment, conducted interviews, and created a DVD to prevent kids from joining gangs. By showing the video to their peers, there is now a greater awareness in their community about gang activity and how to prevent it at Madison Park Middle School.

Team 13, Cesar Chavez High School, Phoenix: Sex has Consequences
The girls of Team 13 were concerned about amount of teen pregnancy in their school and wanted to create awareness about the consequences about engaging in sexual activity. They decided to join the “National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy” movement and bring it to their school. The girls ordered informational postcards that talked about the reality of being a teen parent, and distributed them to their classmates on May 7th, the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The girls hope that giving the students more information will change their thoughts and actions about the reality of becoming a teen parent.

Team 14, Trevor Browne High School, Phoenix: Learn to Love Yourself
Team 14 was distraught about the way people perceive themselves negatively. The girls discussed self-esteem and created a Myspace page to connect people and spread the message of self love.  The girls hope that by promoting the website to their friends and families, people will visit the page and be reminded that loving your body starts first with loving yourself. 

Team 15, Crockett Elementary, Phoenix: Teen Pregnancy Is Played Out
The girls of Team 15 were worried about how teen pregnancy was affecting the lives of young girls in their community. They decided to write and perform a play on teen pregnancy to perform in their community.  They created props, made and hung up flyers, and held a bake sale to raise money for their project.  The play put a face on the issue of teen pregnancy and inspired students to make safer choices about sex. The play raised money that the girls donated to a local nonprofit that works to eliminate teen pregnancy. 

Team 16, StarShine Academy, Phoenix: Making Good Decisions
Team 16 was fed up with gang activity in their community. The girls developed a play, made costumes, got permission to do the play at the school, and performed their play for their younger schoolmates. The play demonstrated consequences of joining a gang. The team hopes that the play will impact the decisions of youth about gang activity, so there will be fewer gangs and less violence in their community. 

Team 17, Coronado High School, Scottsdale: Stay Strong
Girl Action Team 17 believes that one domestic violence victim is one too many! By doing research on the issues of abuse and inviting a speaker to come to their school and present to students, the girls created an environment that encouraged others as well as themselves to understand that they are not alone. Team 17’s message is that violent acts do not have to own you for the rest of your life and with the right support and resources, a new day is possible.

Team 18, Kuban Elementary, Phoenix: Photo Speak Out
Team 18 is upset that so many young people turn to drugs when they are experiencing family problems at home.  The team created an original idea of a “photo-speak out.”  They met with the principal and got permission to hold a school wide assembly.  They researched facts and statistics showing the relationship between stress at home and teen drug use.  The girls combined their research with photos of teens they found on-line to create a presentation and then they held a rally and asked kids in their school to watch the presentation and voice concerns about teen drug use in the community.  The girls opened up communication between young people and adults about drug use and also provided resources for people dealing with stress at home.

Team 19, Alfred Garcia Elementary, Phoenix: Information; The Anti Drug
The girls of Team 19 are concerned about the amount of people using drugs in their community.  They want to help people know that they have free resources available to them that will help with recovery and prevention. They interviewed a drug abuse counselor to gather information and resources.  Using the information they gathered, they created resource fliers to distribute at shopping malls, schools, and churches.  The girls believe that information is power, and that they themselves are powerful.

Team 20, Santa Maria Middle School, Phoenix: Love Yourself
Girl Action Team 20 was dismayed about hurtful words, biased media, and the stigma that is given to girls and women. The team created posters, banners, and buttons with positive messages about being a girl and distributed them at the school carnival. Every girl at Santa Maria Middle School was sent the message that being a girl is amazing and powerful.

Team 21, Independence High School, Glendale: Face To Face With Abuse
The young women at Independence High School were concerned about how sexual abuse was affecting girls and women in their community. The girls researched abuse, had a guest speaker about the topic at a team meeting, contacted local domestic violence agencies, and had in-depth discussions about the issue. They created posters, and distributed information about abuse at the school-wide health fair. The girls raised awareness about the warning signs and effects of abuse.

Team 22, Madison Park Middle School, Princesses for a Change, Phoenix: Feel Better About You
The girls of Team 22 are passionate about raising the self esteem of girls at Madison Park Middle School. The girls decided to create a video on self-esteem to share with their peers. They wrote a script, made costumes, and borrowed equipment. They created the video and showed it at an assembly. Next, they had a question and answer session about self esteem. The girls sent the message that you can feel good about who you are!

Team 23, Phoenix Girl Steering Committee
The Girl Steering Committee has devoted time this year to planning GFC girl events, speaking at Girls For A Change networking events, and advocating for girl leadership.  The girls emceed and planned Spring Into Action and the Completion Ceremony this year. They are the voices and the leadership body of the Girls For A Change Phoenix site.