Girls Inc. of Tarrant County is celebrating 50 years of helping girls see new possibilities for their futures. Founded in Arlington in 1976, the organization began when residents saw a need for more opportunities for girls to learn, build friendships, and grow. Led in part by first board president Charlotte Cooper, the Arlington Girls Club welcomed its first seven girls on Nov. 30, 1976. Community support soon followed through donations, volunteers, and even a seven-room house that became the club’s home.
With support from the Arlington ISD school board, the donated house was moved to New York Avenue, where girls began attending in September 1977. By the organization’s fifth anniversary, enrollment had grown from seven girls to 1,200, demonstrating both the need for the program and the community’s willingness to support it. At the time, the club was described as “a window into friendships, new ideas and, perhaps, a way of life never thought possible.” Fifty years later, that sense of discovery remains central to the organization’s work.
Related posts
“The experiences have evolved, but the belief that moved Arlington residents to act has not: access to opportunity can change the course of a girl’s life,” said Jennifer Limas, CEO of YouthVantage Alliance. Today, Girls Inc. of Tarrant County works with girls in grades 3 through 12, and many remain involved for years, building relationships with mentors along the way. Programs are designed to expose girls to opportunities they may not otherwise encounter while helping them build confidence in their abilities. That mission continues the work Arlington residents began five decades ago.
Programs such as STEM Saturdays and in-school programming allow girls to explore new interests through hands-on learning, while Eureka! and Future Ready introduce them to career possibilities and college experiences. Those opportunities can have a lasting effect on how participants view their futures. One local high school student once said, “I never really thought college was for me,” after a Girls Inc. campus visit helped change her perspective. She is now researching colleges and scholarship opportunities that once seemed out of reach. Sometimes a single experience can change what a young person believes is possible.
The organization also focuses on helping girls better understand themselves, not simply exposing them to possible careers. “Through Girls Inc., we’re learning more than what we can do. We’re learning who we are,” one participant shared. Limas said the organization continues creating experiences that can change what young people believe is within reach. Whether that shift comes through a mentor, college visit, or opportunity to try something new, Girls Inc. aims to give girls the confidence to imagine more for themselves.
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County is now part of YouthVantage Alliance, which brings together three pathways under one mission: Tarrant County Kids, Girls Inc. of Tarrant County and Vantage Point. Together, they provide a connected continuum of youth development serving girls, boys, and co-ed audiences from preschool through adolescence. Girls Inc. remains the Alliance’s legacy program, rooted in the mission that began in Arlington 50 years ago. This fall, STEM Saturdays will expand to the Matlock campus with support from Women Inspiring Philanthropy, with Medical City Arlington and Jabian Consulting also supporting the project. The renovated campus will include an Innovation & Learning Lab with a new Makerspace and the Jabian Innovation Space, giving more young people access to hands-on STEM experiences.
The organization will celebrate its milestone Dec. 12 with the Girls Inc. of Tarrant County 50th Anniversary Gala at Ten10 Events in Arlington. The evening will honor the people and community that helped build the organization while supporting opportunities for the next generation. Girls Inc. is also hoping to reconnect with alumnae, former staff members, volunteers, and supporters whose stories are part of its history. Those memories can help tell the larger story of how a program that began with seven girls became a lasting part of the Arlington community. As YouthVantage Alliance grows across Tarrant County, Girls Inc. remains rooted in Arlington. Fifty years after the community invested in its first seven girls, that legacy continues whenever a participant discovers new possibilities for her future.
To reconnect, share your story, or learn more, contact Heather Enright at henright@youthvantagealliance.org
To purchase gala tickets, learn about sponsorship opportunities, or make a contribution, visit https://bit.ly/4s4xUFu or contact partnerships@girlsinctarrant.org.
