BAWSI Girls

Health. Hope. Wholeness. That's our hope for every BAWSI Girl. It has become a reality for thousands of girls since it was developed as our first program in 2005.

BAWSI Girls is a free weekly after-school program in which elementary school girls develop self-esteem and good health practices from role models they can admire and emulate - women athletes drawn from college, university, and high school teams.

Through a curriculum of physical fitness activities and life-affirming lessons of respect, responsibility, teamwork and dedication taught by athletes who exemplify the results of positive decision-making, BAWSI Girls have fun and develop habits and attitudes that will make them successful in life.

Why BAWSI Girls?
Research by the Women's Sports Foundation reveals that active girls are more likely to have a positive body image, confidence and self-esteem. Simply moving and playing can reduce a girl's risk for obesity, cancer, alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, osteoporosis, unintended pregnancy and gang involvement. BAWSI Girls serves girls who lack opportunities to participate in sports programs.

What do BAWSI Girls do?
They participate in an after-school curriculum of fitness activities developed by BAWSI as well as participate in discussions with women athletes about how to make healthy lifestyle choices, how to encourage others and receive encouragement, how to work individually and as part of a team. They learn from women who were once like them and have gone on to successful sports careers. And they have lots of fun.

What are BAWSI Game Days?
Some of the most fun of all. BAWSI Girls and their families are VIP guests at college and professional women's sports events to watch female athletes compete. BAWSI Game Days are held at a variety of women's sporting events on Bay Area campuses and develop community support for local women's college teams. For most of the BAWSI girls and their families, the BAWSI Game Day is their first experience on a college campus. Giving girls and their families new vision, insight and hope for their futures is an important part of the BAWSI mission.

Read about our Fall 2011 BAWSI Game Day Events

Read about our Fall 2010 - Spring 2011 BAWSI Game Day Events

BAWSI Girls elementary school sites for 2011-2012:

South Bay
Bowers
Dorsa
Gardner Academy
Pomeroy
San Antonio
Scott Lane
Washington

Peninsula
Castro
Garfield
John Gill
Landels
Selby Lane
Taft

Gilroy
El Roble
Glen View
Rod Kelley

St. Martin's, St. Lucy's and Stevenson PACT Schools host "BAWSI-in-a-Box", a donation-based model at non-Title I schools. Each participant makes a $55 donation in order to join this fun, motivating and inspirational physical exercise program. Enrollment donations are then used to directly support a BAWSI Girls program at a Title 1 school site. BAWSI in a Box is managed by a parent volunteer and a paid site manager. In lieu of partnering with collegiate athletes, this program includes a unique leadership component for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls at each school, who serve as Jr. Coaches. Jr. Coaches are responsible for guiding the younger girls through their fitness activities, and are oftentimes awarded service hours for their participation.

For more information, please visit:

	www.girlsarechampions.org
	www.GirlsontheRun.org
	www.gogirlgo.com
	www.womenssportsfoundation.org