(NORCROSS, GA)— On the eve of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, HealthMPowers, Boys and Girls Clubs of Georgia, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, and Wolf Wellness Lab at the University of West Georgia announced the 120 implementation sites selected for the new Girls Empowering Movement Program (GEM).
With $4.1M grant support from The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, GEM is a five-year, $5.8M statewide initiative aimed at improving middle school girls’ physical activity and fitness levels. The program directly addresses the challenge of providing girls with access and opportunities for regular physical activity while empowering them to become change-agents in their schools and communities.
The collaborative effort was driven in response to Georgia FitnessGram® data showing an alarming trend around aerobic capacity in girls, a key metric used to determine heart health. Only 51% of girls have healthy aerobic capacity in 5th grade and by 12th grade, the number drops to 31%.
“Since the beginning of this project, we have maintained our commitment to forging an innovative girl-led initiative that encompasses broad diversity among the girls, partners and program sites,” said Jennifer L. Owens, President, HealthMPowers. “With the announcement of the GEM program sites today, we continue our commitment to building a true statewide initiative. The geographic diversity of the program sites is yet another intentional component. We’re thrilled that the GEM program will be available across Georgia and cannot wait to see the ripple effect it has in communities across this great state.”
GEM will provide leadership training to approximately 7,000 girls at 120 selected sites, spanning 51 Georgia counties. Girls will gain skills in leadership, fitness, advocacy, and social-emotional learning – and lead the creation of physical activity programming specific to each site based on their own preferences, motivators, and goals. As GEM Ambassadors, girls will develop new physical activity programs and leadership opportunities for their peers – reaching a total of approximately 18,000 girls across the state.
The official sites selected for the GEM, Girls Empowering Movement program, starting in fall 2021, include 49 schools, 32 Boys and Girls Clubs, and 49 Girl Scout Troops.
Girls Empowering Movement – Schools
Bibb County
Appling Middle School
Bryan County
Bryan County Middle School
Carroll County
Bay Springs Middle School
Carrollton Junior High School
Carrollton Upper Elementary School
Central Middle School
Mount Zion Middle School
Temple Middle School
Villa Rica Middle School
Clarke County
Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School
Clayton County
Babb Middle School
North Clayton Middle School
Sequoyah Middle School
Cobb County
Griffin Middle School
Columbia County
Grovetown Middle School
Decatur County
Hutto Middle School
DeKalb County
Mary McLeod Bethune Middle School
Sequoyah Middle School
Stone Mountain Middle School
Dooly County
Dooly County K-8 Academy
Douglas County
Fairplay Middle School
Fulton County
Camp Creek Middle School
Drew Charter School
John Lewis Invictus Academy
Renaissance Middle School
Sutton Middle School
Gwinnett County
McConnell Middle School
Shiloh Middle School
Twin Rivers Middle School
Haralson County
Bremen Middle School
Haralson County Middle School
Heard County
Heard County Middle School
Henry County
Eagle’s Landing Middle School
Luella Middle School
Houston County
Huntington Middle School
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Middle School
Lamar County
Lamar County Middle School
Lincoln County
Lincoln County Middle School
Oglethorpe County
Oglethorpe County Middle School
Pulaski County
Dublin Middle School
Rockdale County
Conyers Middle School
Savannah Chatham County
Southwest Middle School
Spalding County
Kennedy Road Middle School
Tift County
Eighth Street Middle School
Walker County
Saddle Ridge Elementary/Middle School
Floyd County
Rome Middle School
Girls Empowering Movement – Boys and Girls Clubs of Georgia
Bartow County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County – Adairsville Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County – Cartersville Club
Brooks County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Valdosta – Brooks County Club
Chattooga County
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Chattooga County Unit
Cobb County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – Anderson Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – Grant Club
Dougherty County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany – Jane Wilson Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany – Jefferson Street Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany – Thornton Park
Fulton County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – Warren Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – Whitehead Club
Glynn County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia – Elizabeth F. Correll Teen Center
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia – The Club at Glynn Middle
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia – The Club at Jane Macon
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia – The Club at Needwood
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia – The Club at Risley
Gordon County
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Gordon County Unit
Gwinnett County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – A. Worley Brown
Hall County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Lanier – Teen Center
Lowndes County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Valdosta – Lake Laurie Unit
Boys & Girls Clubs of Valdosta – Teen Center
Murray County
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Bagley Middle School Unit
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Chatsworth/ Murray County Unit
Muscogee County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattahoochee Valley – East Columbus Boys & Girls Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattahoochee Valley – J. Barnett Woodruff (South) Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chattahoochee Valley – North Columbus Boys & Girls Club
Richmond County
Boys & Girls Clubs of CSRA – Hagler Club
Boys & Girls Clubs of CSRA – South Augusta Club
Rockdale County
Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta – Barksdale Club
Washington County
Boys & Girls Clubs of CSRA – Washington County Club
Whitfield County
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Carl Rollins Unit
Boys & Girls Clubs of GMW – Dalton Teen Center
Girls Empowering Movement – Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta
Cherokee County
Troop 14655
Troop 16240
Troop 18448
Clayton County
Troop 09711
Cobb County
IRM
Dekalb County
Troop 15212
Troop 20002
Fayette County
Troop 15007
Troop 15065
Troop 16074
Fulton County
Troop 00093
Troop 00463
Troop 1411
Troop 16185
Troop 16190
Troop 19846
Gwinnett County
Troop 00260
Troop 2289
Troop 3024
Troop 3338
Troop 09703
Troop 14872
Troop 17336
Troop 40029
Henry County
Troop 523
Troop 17022
Whitfield County
Troop 00268
Girls Empowering Movement – Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia
Ben Hill County
Troop 40424
Bulloch County
Troop 30042
Troop 30449
Chatham County
Troop 30462
Troop TBD
Chattahoochee County
Troop 50263
Clarke County
Troop 12059
Troop TBD
Dougherty County
Troop 47009
Troop 47015
Troop 47018
Troop 47022
IRM
Effingham County
Troop 30235
Troop 300898
Jackson County
Troop 11979
Muscogee County
Troop 50387
Quitman County
Troop TBD
Terrell County
Troop 47020a
Troop 47020b
Turner County
Troop TBD
Walton County
Troop 10468
For more information about the Girls Empowering Movement (GEM) program, visit HealthMPowers.org/GEM.
