Harnessing Youth Power: The Girls Inc. Story

Girls in our nation’s urban areas—and in communities across the county—face significant challenges on the path to academic achievement and adult success. That’s why the work of Girls Inc. of Chicago is so inspiring. Since 1865, Girls Inc. has  harnessed the power of youth helping youth, and they are redefining what support can look like.

Each year, nearly 8 million high school juniors and seniors in the U.S. could be tapped as youth leaders, mentors, tutors, or success coaches. Imagine the impact if even a fraction took on these roles—millions more young people empowered to help their peers succeed, while building their own leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

In this episode, Yani Mason, Chief Executive Officer of Girls Inc. of Chicago speaks with Dr. Robert Balfanz about how near-peer supports are transforming communities, strengthening school connectedness, and driving both academic and personal growth. You’ll learn about best practices and how engaging in pro-social activities creates a ripple effect of empowerment.

Connections to help girls become the best versions of themselves and reach their fullest potential.

Transcript

Bob Balfanz: Hello, and welcome to Season 4, Episode 3 of the Designing Education Podcast. I'm Dr. Robert Balfanz, director of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University.

In this episode, we are talking with Yani Mason, CEO of Girls, Inc. of Chicago, which delivers programs that help girls from Chicago's South side have the opportunities and experiences needed to thrive in the classroom, in their career, and beyond.

Today we'll be focusing on their work to develop and use student and peer leadership to provide the supports girls need to thrive.

We're excited to have her as part of our continuing series of conversation with education leaders, thinkers, and practitioners from across the country about designing education.

We're talking with them about what it will take to create an education system that truly educates and empowers all our young people.

The most underused asset we have to create the conditions for all our nation's youth to be on a pathway to adult success is our young people themselves.

If we can create the conditions and supports needed for college students to help high school students, for high school students to help middle school students, and for middle school students to help elementary students, we will have a never-ending supply of near-peer mentors, tutors, success, and health coaches.

That is why we are so excited to be talking with Yani today and to learn more about the cutting-edge work being done by Girls Inc. on the South side of Chicago to enable girls to help girls succeed in school and beyond.

We can't wait to start the conversation, but before we do, we want to take a moment to remind you to subscribe to the Designing Education podcasts where you listen to podcasts. Subscribe to the Designing Education podcast and never miss an episode.

Welcome, Yani, it's wonderful to have you here today. We start all our podcasts by asking our guests, “when you were in high school. What was a good day?”

Yani Mason: Thank you, Bob, for having me I’m really excited to be here on the podcast. So, when I was in high school, a good day, I was on time for school, which sounds a bit, you know, kind of mundane, but I'm from the South side of Chicago, a product of Chicago Public Schools, and so I didn't go to school, unfortunately, in my community. I always commuted to a different community to attend what's called magnet schools, so that I could receive a better education at a higher performing school. So, I traveled across the city through Chicago traffic to go to Whitney High School from the South side of Chicago, and so a good day I was on time for school, my friends, you know we all had our lunch and had a great lunch, whether we stayed on campus or left. And then also, you know, teachers were understanding of everything. And you know, when you're in high school, there were about 2 about 3,000, between 2,500 to 3,000 students in the school. So, you know, you can run late. There were three buildings, so.

Bob Balfanz, Johns Hopkins, EGC: Yeah.

Yani Mason: For me, timeliness was very important, so a great day I was, I was on time. Yeah.

Bob Balfanz: That's interesting. You were one of the ones that have gone to the, you know. There's fewer and fewer of those big high schools they were once, they were once quite normal. And now it's more of a rarity. But it's quite an experience to go to a high school that size. But it seems in a way, what you were saying is that within that you had community, and were able to get there in time to be part of that community. That was a good day.

Yani Mason: Absolutely being there on time and being also seen and appreciated. And one of the great things about the school, in addition to the academics. The community is that there were students from all over the city, from all different ethnic and religious backgrounds. And so, it was really a great experience to get to know people from different cultures which was really, really fascinating.

Bob Balfanz: So that made the commute worth it. Right?

Yani Mason: Yes, definitely made the commute worth it. And then, when it was time to apply to all of the colleges, or just even hear, oh, you go there! You must be smart, sure. I'll take it.

Bob Balfanz: There you go. So, let's start our conversation today by hearing just a little bit about Girls, Inc. Of Chicago, and the great work you're doing there.

Yani Mason: Awesome. Well, thank you, Bob. So, Girls, Inc.  Of Chicago, we're the local affiliate of a federated nonprofit organization here in North America. There are 75 other Girls, Inc. Chapters across Canada and the US. So most major cities in the US, there is a Girls, Inc. affiliate nearby. We started quite a long time ago and there have been different name iterations. So, girls clubs, and things like that. So, Girls, Inc. started in 1865 with a mission that we carry true to today, which is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold and which sounds wonderful. I haven't met anybody yet who's like, Oh, that doesn't sound like a great mission. 

When we say we want girls to be strong, we want them to be healthy. When we say we want them to be smart, we want them to be educated, and when we say we want them to be bold, we want them to be independent, and so we provide the tools, the resources and connections for girls to be the best versions of themselves and really live up to their fullest potential. 

So here in Chicago we serve about 1,100 girls each year through starting in kindergarten through high school, and then we have a cohort of college girls as well. We start as young as 5, because the research shows that as young as 5 years old, girls associate being smart with the male gender. And so, we work to combat those limiting stereotypes to help girls overcome intersectional challenges they face. So here in Chicago, right now, we have school-based programs as well as programs available for girls across the community.

And then the schools that we serve. These are schools in struggling, vulnerable communities where there are high rates of poverty in the community, higher rates of violence and crime. And so, we are filling in the gaps in terms of you know, the leadership, social-emotional programming that girls need to succeed.

Bob Balfanz: I think it's really interesting. You said, you start as early as 5, because, like so many programs, you know, sort of leave that K3 to its own, its own area, you know, and pick kids up in early adolescence, or the tweens right before they get to that. But to your point, right, young kids see and observe everything right. And they're already sort of making their assumptions about how the world works. And so, I think that's a very good insight to say that you have to start from the beginning, not sort of, you know, say that we're waiting till they become little adults to sort of engage them.

Yani Mason: Absolutely, absolutely, Bob. That's why we start early with the girls and really empower them. And part of our secret sauce is connecting girls with high achieving women so that they can see that representation and then also, empowering them to be leaders and to take to be solution focused and oriented as they see problems in their schools and communities, how they can help be a part of the solution. Even starting as young as 5 or 6 years old.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah. In a way, it relates back to your high school experience that like seeing is believing. If you don't have the opportunity to see it, how can you believe it? Right.

Yani Mason: Absolutely. And when our girls Bob, when our girls see it, they want to be it. So just last week we had our, I believe it's our 7th annual firefighter for a day experience. And so, we take our girls, kindergarten through 8th grade, to meet the women in high achieving positions with the Chicago Fire Department.

Bob Balfanz: Wow. 

Yani Mason: It's a really cool experience. We get lots of media coverage for it. And the girls get to meet. So actually, every year she's participated. The Fire Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department is a Chief, Annette Nance Holt. She is the first woman and the first African American Fire Commissioner for the City of Chicago. So, the girls get to meet her and other high achieving women in the ranks of the Chicago Fire Department. They get to play with the hoses. You know the pressure is low, very low, but they get to experience that. And again, just like you, said Bob. It's all about the representation and the belief that they see women in these roles that have been traditionally male dominated, and they believe that it's possible for them to aspire to get there. 

Bob Balfanz: So, we've already been talking about this quite a bit. But I just want to take a little more time on it is that, you know, if you think big picture right, what does it take for girls to thrive, you know, in school and life, in Chicago and beyond?

Yani Mason: So, I think it takes really, you know, there's that proverb, that African proverb, it takes a village, and it really does. So, I think, as we think about the messages that girls see in the media, right?  I think our society is doing a little bit better than what they were when I was growing up in terms of, you know, photoshopping and airbrushed images and just unrealistic images of what a woman's body or a girl's body should be like. But now we well, for the past 10-15 years we've had social media. And so, you know, there's research that shows that girls who are more active on social media have higher rates of anxiety and depression and body image issues because they're seeing curated images online, that of girls, of women, right? And they're trying to live unrealistic stereotypes. So.

Bob Balfanz: That's yeah. That's like the opposite of seeing is believing. It's like seeing something that's not real is not believing. 

Yani Mason: It doesn't work that way absolutely, absolutely.

Bob Balfanz: And you know and related to that. It's, you know, that we've been learning recently about some of the, you know, absenteeism challenges is that another byproduct of all this sort of social media consumption is that kids are staying up much later.

Yani Mason: Yes.

Bob Balfanz: And so, it's that commute would even be harder, because if they stay up to one o'clock at night, you know their parents think they're asleep. They're in their bed under their covers, but the phone is still on.

Yani Mason: And as we think about that, Bob, and think about how young women need to accept and appreciate their bodies. And so that's one of the really incredible things about the Girls, Inc. experience is that we have a bill of rights and girls appreciating is very cool. And so, for girls to love and appreciate their bodies as they are. And so, we really instill that in girls, and also in terms of parents as well. So, we have programming for the girls. Then we have programming also for parents as well as staff, because the girls, the young ladies, don't exist in a vacuum, right? They exist in an ecosystem of staff and parents and others. And so, we try to address all of those figures in the ecosystem. So that girls really have those affirming messages, right? Like, it's okay to be, you know, heavier or thinner. Or however, you are just appreciating who you are and how you look.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah, so important. And I bet we'll see some connections here to my next question. But I'm gonna get a little more micro now, which is that Girls, Inc. of Chicago recently received a Partnership for Student Success, 2025 Community Collaboration Challenge Award and part of that focus was on student leadership development and peer leadership. And some of that was around this idea of peer health facilitators. So, can you just talk a little bit about what a peer health facilitator is and and how you're you're building sort of a peer-based program around that?

Yani Mason: Absolutely. So, we know that there's research from the University of Chicago Consortium on Schools, that regarding the freshman on track, right? So, we know that the middle school transition can be very rough, you know, developmentally, the young people experience lots of hormones and things that make that transition challenging. And then, also, academically, if they're not on track at that point, right? It makes it harder for them to graduate on time. And so, we have a laser focus on middle school girls in terms of this programming. And so, we not just 8th grade girls. But we start with 6th grade girls. So, 6th through 8th grade girls - We paired them with our high school students, so that the high school students get to demonstrate leadership and demonstrate that peer learning and that peer health facilitator model, so that the high school girls are modeling good behavior, Well, healthy behavior, right? And instilling those those skills in the younger girls. And so, it's far more effective than for our adults to say it right, because when you see a near peer you know it's a little bit different when you have your peers say things. 

And then also one of the great things about that model, Bob, is that it gets the middle school girls excited, and it lessens their anxiety about going to high school. So, you know, go to you already mentioned, you know the large high schools, like my high school is like 3,000 students, and so high schools aren't quite as large now. But still, there's the anxiety that our young girls face of leaving their elementary or middle school and then going to a larger high school. So, it helps to lessen that anxiety. It gets them excited, and then also their near peers help them navigate, right, in terms of what to expect, what to watch out for. So, we've really found it to be tremendously helpful in lessening the anxiety of our middle school girls, and then getting them, empowering them in an even greater way, to be leaders as well.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah, I mean, it's so interesting how we we organize our school systems and things. Not sure they were really designed for sort of adolescent development in mind, because, you know, we have them in either a K8 or a middle grades thing, and you know they start out as uncertain 6th graders, but by 8th graders they feel pretty in command of the place, and then we tell them, Nope, pulling the rug out. Start all over again and you feel totally lost and helpless. And it just drives me out because we were working recently with a summer program, and they were trying to be transitional. It was like at the high school, go to the high school, do a summer program, get acclimated, make some friends all things that worked. But even for that, several students were like told the person working with them that you know they were so filled with anxiety they would just be crying in the car beforehand. You know, and it's just like we just don't fully appreciate. But but we think about why wouldn't that be anxious?  You have to go to a totally new environment. You don't know the rules. You don't know the people. You don't know the adults, and you're but yet you're supposed to be to act like you know what you're doing, you know.

Yani Mason: Absolutely. And then, if we think about the hours too. So, for some of our high school students, they're starting school as early as 7 or 8am. I know I'm still, you know. I don't drink coffee. I drink tea, but I'm still like Oh, my gosh! This is really early. So, it's we need to change things and change how we approach education and change how we approach that that transition. Actually, my daughter, she is in a bridge program now. So, she'll be attending a magnet high school here in Chicago, and she's doing a summer program. And so, for that summer program, they have peer counselors. So, there are high school students who are typically, like, maybe a sophomore or so helping with their courses. And so, you know, at first, I was like, because it takes up most of the summer. So, I was like, “Oh, my gosh! How are you feeling?” Are you, you know, and she's like, “oh, this is great!” I love it. Because they help to your point, Bob, the the peer counselors, help them get acclimated, and it doesn't feel quite so--You don't feel quite as like a small fish in a big pond.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah, no. Just two quick stories to relate to. That is this, this same summer program I was talking about that, you know, each site was doing it slightly different, learning different things. And at one of the sites, they actually had two seniors who were like teaching assistants. And the kids again said, you know, we really loved having those seniors in the program as the teaching assistants, because we felt they were much more approachable than the teacher, right? And we felt more, much more comfortable showing we didn't know math to a student than to the teacher. And so that's why in the work we're doing with a Partnership for Student Success and the work you're doing, why we're very excited about this idea of near peer supports.

Could you just share a little bit more for our listeners about how near peer efforts both help the person getting the support, but also help the person giving the support?

Yani Mason: Absolutely so I think, in terms of receiving the support like you said it really, Bob, lessens the anxiety of the young people receiving the support because they they feel more comfortable sharing with those near peers. Right? They also, in terms of the socialization. They feel more comfortable in terms of asking questions that perhaps they wouldn't feel comfortable asking adults or even a parent. You know the research that we've done even just survey research with our girls that if they're sad or angry or depressed, our girls feel more comfortable sharing with one another versus asking an adult for help. And so, this really speaks to that the students who receive the help feel heard and feel poured into in a way that would feel a little bit different coming from an adult, and they also feel like they can be more vulnerable and more open than perhaps they would with an adult, because, of course, as adults, we're all mandated reporters right?

Bob Balfanz: Right.

Yani Mason: And so, you know, especially in 2025. In this day and age, we definitely err on the side of caution with everything. And so, I think for the girls, they feel much more comfortable sharing with their near peers because of that - the proximity and age, right? Because for some of us it's been a while since we've been their age. But they have access to someone who's a bit more wise who recently has that same lived experience. So, I think it's the proximity in terms of age and lived experience also that's helpful for the recipients of that support. 

In terms of the young ladies and the students who serve as the peer, counselors, facilitators, etc. It's really wonderful for them to demonstrate their leadership skills. And so, it's been so powerful to see how they really take seriously being a role model for younger students, and then also their peers as well. And so really it instills in the peer counselors and peer health facilitators this sense of confidence and a sense of ownership also that they want the younger students to thrive and be successful. And so, they really take ownership of the lessons.  They really take ownership of the events that we put on to make sure that they're the younger students are really that the experiences are as impactful as possible.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah, I mean, one of the things we're seeing in work we've been doing around school connectedness is this this idea that you know in school you have the opportunity to do things that help other people.

And these sort of like fancy term is like pro-social activities. But this is a great example. Right? You know, I'm going to school. I'm you know, I'm learning, and whatever. But I'm also, you know, engaged in this effort where I'm helping fellow students. And that really helps strengthen kids’ sense of connection to school.

Yani Mason: Absolutely, absolutely.

Bob Balfanz: So, what advice would you give to folks that are interested in starting sort of a near-peer leadership and support efforts? What are some of the hard knocks you've learned along the way?

Yani Mason: I think one of the things that we've learned along the way. So, for our organization, I know many youth serving organizations. We value youth voice. And so, we center the voices of our youth and their feedback, and everything we do. So, I think in terms of you know that school of hard knocks, Bob. I think one thing to do is to be clear and be very as open as possible, when sometimes that youth voice may have to not manipulate it, but where it has to be--you have to reel them in.

And so, I think, being very clear with the young people about how we can incorporate their voices and their input into things. So sometimes we can definitely do it right. But if all of our peers, our near-peer leaders wanted to go to Disney World, and we're in Chicago, you know, can't quite do that. So sometimes we have to reel them in. But that would be one thing for sure is to you know, as we center youth voice be very open with what the responsibilities that we're instilling to our young people, and those that have to be executed by staff.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah, that's very helpful. So, I was when learning more about Girls. Inc, I saw on your website, something just caught my eye which was the 3rd Annual Innovate Her Convening. And I just love the name of that. So, can you just tell us a little bit about what that is and what the role youth leadership plays in it?

Yani Mason: Oh, sure! So, our Innovate Her event is our annual girls summit, and so again to the point, Bob, about centering youth voice, the workshops and activities were coordinated by the girls. We actually had a few of our high school students lead sessions during the event as well. And so really, that gives the that gave our we call our the girls who participate in our high school program we call them the Bold Girls Society. Our college women, they are our bold women's society. And so, each of those groups of young women had a role in coordinating the events, curating the workshops as well. And then so the workshops, you know, focused on things related to leadership. And then also we covered stem. And then there was also a challenge where girls had to create a product or a prototype for a product, or at least the idea for a product, Shark Tank style.

Bob Balfanz: That's so. Fun.

Yani Mason: Yeah, it was really great for the girls to come up with these ideas and then pitch them to judges who, you know, gave the girls prizes - so lots of great fun for that. And, like I said, the girls led workshops on various topics, and also bringing to the forefront health issues as well related to self-esteem and body positivity. So, it was really a super impactful experience for the girls to hear from adults but also hear from their peers - their new peers in that way. So, we had almost 75 or so girls attend last year we were at the Illinois Institute for Technology. This year we were at Joseph Veenum Academy, which is an all-girls Catholic High School here in Chicago.

Bob Balfanz: Okay. Wonderful. So, in the times we are in, you know, I think it's really important to end on an optimistic note. So, what makes you hopeful about the work girls Inc. Of Chicago is doing, and how we can empower youth to help youth?

Yani Mason: So, what makes me hopeful is the fact that we have young people who, young women, young girls, who are ready to set the world on fire and give back.  And so, to see the spark in the girls’ eyes as they take on these leadership roles as they've been leading workshops as they've been leading sessions with their peers. And then also, as they find out about issues that disproportionately impact women and girls, whether that's menstrual equity and access to menstrual products in schools or hair discrimination. All of the issues that our girls or and also here in Chicago. I know many other cities as well - food deserts, right? Something to help with food. something that our girls are very passionate about. And then they see the statistics. They see how those issues impact the community. But what makes me hopeful, Bob, is how the girls are fired up. 

And they want to learn more, so that they can be a part of the solution to address these issues because they want to talk to legislators. They want to talk to decision makers so that they can make a difference in the community. So, what makes me hopeful is how our girls want to be the change and be a part of the solution to address some of the inequities that we face. You know whether Chicago, Baltimore, any major city, or just across the US, our girls are really excited to address these issues.

And that really makes me hopeful, and also our staff as well. So, a lot of our, especially our direct service staff, tend to be younger, and so to have these young women, these nonprofit professionals, really be so passionate about giving back and making sure that young women today have some of the experiences that they didn't have access to. So that really makes me hopeful for the future.

Bob Balfanz: Yeah. And it just seems to me like, you know, there's so much power in the in the youth, sort of finding their voice and being able to communicate more broadly, because there's so many things that are just sort of can't say anything else but just crazy. But in some level, they continue, because if it's not your lived experience, you don't even know it's there. Things like food deserts, right? If you've always grown up with 3 supermarkets near where you live. It's hard to imagine places where it's hard to get like fresh fruit.

Yani Mason: Yes.

Bob Balfanz: But that's very much the case, right? 

Yani Mason: Absolutely.

Bob Balfanz: You know. So, I just that. Just that's just amazing work that's being done.

Yani Mason: Thanks so much, Bob.

Bob Balfanz: So, thank you. This has been a great conversation. Is there anything else you'd like to share or tell our audience? Are there websites for our listeners to visit or resources to explore?

Yani Mason: Oh, sure. So, there are websites and socials that your listeners can definitely tune into. And then to your last point, Bob, just thinking about the power the Girls, Inc. experience, how we activate, we encourage girls to activate and utilize their voices for change in their schools and in their communities. And so that's really powerful to affecting the change that we need to see. So, anyone who's interested can visit our website, girlsincofchicago.org. And that's our handle across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn as well.

Bob Balfanz: Wonderful. Thank you. This has been an amazing conversation, so informative and so hopeful in so many ways. You guys are doing amazing work.

Yani Mason: Thank you so much, Bob.

Bob Balfanz: Girls today in our nation's urban areas and more broadly face many challenges growing up, succeeding in school and establishing pathways to adult success. That is why it's been so exciting to learn more about how Girls Inc. of Chicago is harnessing the power of youth to help youth. Near-peer supports are a powerful resource that we have not come close to fully utilizing.

Every year there are about 8 million high school juniors and seniors alone in our nation. If even a fraction of them were provided, the opportunity to become youth leaders and near-peer mentors, tutors, success, or health coaches, we could have a million more people helping their peers succeed while building their own leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.

As you saw today, these experiences really empower these youth and help them empower their communities.

Moreover, we know that engaging in pro-social activities where you see your efforts helping others is a key component of school connectedness which is associated with a wide range of positive academic and well-being outcomes. That is why it's been so exciting to learn from Yani today and hear about the path breaking work being done by Girls, Inc. of Chicago. To learn more about emerging best practices. And near peer supports also check out the partnership for student success website.

As we close today, I want to ask you to please subscribe to the Designing Education, to stay up to date on all the revolutionary work happening in education. If you're enjoying the show, leave us a 5-star review. Also. Please share the show with your friend or colleagues, or on social media.

This has been Robert Balfanz from the Everyone Graduates Center thanking you for listening today.  I invite you to listen to the other episodes of our designing education series. Wherever you listen to your podcasts. Onward and be well.