Dream It, Be it: Career Success for Girls

Four Local Soroptimist Clubs to host Career Conference for Girls

Four Soroptimist International clubs on the central coast—Capitola-By-The-Sea, Carmel Bay, Salinas and Watsonville—are partnering for the first time with Girls Inc. of the Central Coast to co-host a one-day conference entitled “Dream It, Be it; Career Success for Girls” on June 17 at California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB).

About 65 girls are expected to attend the conference, which will feature a workshop using a newly designed Soroptimist International of the Americas curriculum to help educate girls about professional career options. “Dream It, Be It” targets girls in secondary school who face obstacles to their future success. It provides girls with access to professional role models, career education and the resources to live their dreams.

Soroptimist clubs work in partnership with girls in small groups or a conference setting to provide them with the information and resources they want and need to be successful. Topics covered include career opportunities, setting and achieving goals, overcoming obstacles to success and how to move forward after setbacks or failures.

“This is the maiden voyage of the Soroptimist “Dream it, Be it” curriculum and our first partnership with Girls Inc. and other clubs on the Central Coast to reach out to these young women,” said Soroptimist of Capitola-By-The-Sea President Kristin Rohan.

“Our collaboration in support of these young women of the Central Coast will also send a powerful message about how women from two counties can work together to help them achieve their career dreams and ambitions,” added Lori Silver, president of Carmel Bay Soroptimists.

“This is also a very important partnership for Girls Inc. as we expand our reach to all areas of the Central Coast,” explained Patricia Fernandez-Torres, executive director of Girls Inc. of the Central Coast. “We’re working together today to help women leaders of tomorrow.”

Girls Inc. of the Central Coast® is an affiliate of Girls Incorporated, a national organization that has been providing programs for girls since 1864 in the United States and Canada. It currently serves more than 1,200 girls ages 8-18 to prepare them for economic independence and confident adulthood in 30 schools in (Monterey and San Benito County) and this fall 2015 they will be expanding to Santa Cruz County.

Soroptimist, a Latin phrase meaning Best for Women, is a global volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

Membership in the Capitola and Watsonville clubs is open to women throughout Santa Cruz County, and membership in the Carmel Bay and Salinas clubs is open to women in Monterey County.

For more information, visit the clubs’ websites: SI Capitola at www.best4women.org; SI of Watsonville at www.siwatsonville.org; SI Carmel Bay at www.sicarmelbay.org; and SI Salinas via email at sisalinas@soroptimist.net.