August 2022

GCDA Summer Recap!

The 2022 GCDA Camp was a great experience for everyone involved! We encouraged campers to step out of their comfort zones, learn from each other, and embrace being a girl. We provided many educational experiences that helped them gain new skills, develop friendships, and allowed them to celebrate their strengths while having a blast!

We are grateful to the parents and guardians who entrusted their girls to us as well as to the numerous volunteers anddonors who made Girls Can Do Anything Camp such a success! When you empower a girl, you change the world, so thank you for helping us to impact our community!

Week 1: Girls and Animal Adventures!

Animal adventure week was full of friendly animals, volunteers, and unique guest speakers! The girls got to learn about reptiles with Larry Walls from "Amazing Animals", pet therapy dogs from the TMH Animal Therapy unit, learn what it's like being a vet with Banfield Pet Academy, and even meet wild animals from Tallahassee Museum! Later in the week the girls learned about horses and went riding at Mahan Farms! What a fun and educational week!

Week 2: Girls To the Rescue!

Rescue week was packed with fun and adventure! The girls learned all about being a woman in the rescue world. From mental health to police officers, our girls learned if you're interested in a helping career there is something for everyone! Special shoutout to Lieutenant Mercurio and TPD for letting our campers come out and see what it is like to work for the police, learn self-defense skills, and how to stay safe! We also learned that "Sheroes" come in all shapes and sizes, and emphasized how we can all be "shereos" in our everyday life!

Week 3: Girls Love Science!

Science, technology, engineering, and math, oh my! Science week was all about expanding our girls' minds and encouraging them to think critically! We engaged in fun experiments, went to the FSU Planetarium and Innovation Hub, and even checked out the Apalachicola National Forest! Special shoutout to all of our wonderful guest speakers this week - FSU Learning Lab, Dr. Nathalie, Stems4Girls, Peace Jam, and FSU's Women in STEM program. Our campers were impressed and inspired to see women working in science!

Week 4: Girls Change the World!

Girls Change the World Week was all about advocating for their community, learning how to be a leader, and exposing them to different forms of activism! The girls enjoyed time outside, presentations from local advocates, and got to experience a Senate Simulation at the Capitol. The campers went to the beautiful Maclay Gardens and worked together to battle climate change! A quote from one of the campers shows how they understood their leadership role ~ "Leave saving the world to the men? No way"!

Week 5: Girls on the Move!

Nothing beats moving and grooving, and the campers seemed to agree! This week was designed to get the campers excited to move their bodies and they did exactly that! We learned how to play kickball with Oasis Board Member Stephanie Shumate, and were empowered with inspiration from Girls on the Run! A fitness class at Drip Drop Fitness, trail walking, pool time, and more got their energy up and bodies moving! We learned how important it is to keep our physical, mental, and emotional health synced up, and figured out ways we can go about doing that!

Week 6: Girls Serve the Community!

We had a blast during "Girls Serve the Community" week! Between volunteering with Second Harvest of the Big Bend, hosting a lemonade stand to raise money for Refuge House, and learning about how to be community servants, our girls had a packed week! A special thank you to guest speaker, and Mrs. Florida, Jennifer Powell who taught them about goals and vision boards, and Jumpin Joy who donated a giant waterslide to our girls! By the end of the week, our campers raised over $400 for Refuge House!

Week 7: Girls Heart the Arts!

This was a wonderful and creative week! Not only did we practice our painting skills, but we learned about other art forms, such as poems and plays! The highlight of the week was prepping for our end-of-summer performance with Dr. Christy at the School of Arts and Sciences. Our girls wrote original poetry, sang songs, and created their own choreography for the event. Lastly, a field trip to LeMoyne Art Gallery and a workshop with their staff was a great way for girls to further connect with local artists. What a great end to summer!