Ashley, Grade 11
While attending PowerPlay’s Leadership Academy, my biggest takeaway has been my positive experience being part of building a community of girls from different boroughs across New York City. The way that all of the girls connected with each other on the first day of the program was incredible. Usually it would take time for me personally to go up to someone and talk to them, but with this program it was different because it felt like I already knew the girls around me and could tell them anything. There was no distrust or miscommunication between any of the girls throughout the whole program which made it feel like a community and much more exciting to attend each day. The trips and activities we participated in made us closer and we learned to trust each other. Towards the final day, all of the girls wanted to stay connected with each other and didn’t want to leave. My summer wouldn’t have been full of all the amazing experiences I had without attending the Academy. I especially enjoyed it because it brought girls of all kinds of cultural backgrounds together to show us how we can empower one another and grow up to be strong and powerful women.
