More than 70% of girls age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities, such as attending school, when they feel bad about their looks. Young Women LEAD is on a mission to change the way girls perceive themselves.
15 years. 46,000 high school girls. 65 events. Our latest one? Simply stated, “Wow!”
Delivered live in person or virtually, Young Women LEAD empowers girls nationwide. Young Women LEAD events feature nationally recognized women who share their own insights on real life issues and how to overcome them to achieve successful and meaningful careers. Young Women LEAD also provides an opportunity for the teens to connect to and learn workforce development skills from female business leaders.
In 2024-2025, we are hosting in person conferences in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio!
When schools transitioned to virtual learning – Young Women LEAD didn’t miss a beat. We offered virtual conferences that reached students in 28 states and 5 countries. “In a time when many students are learning from home, Toyota is grateful that high school girls can count on Young Women LEAD to continue delivering the same high-quality content as its in-person programs,” said Renee Robertson, General Manager of Production Control at Toyota North America. “The virtual events can reach more girls in more communities, improve their lives and put them in the driver’s seat to set the course for their future.”
Young Women LEAD encourages girls to pursue careers that they may not have otherwise considered.
In fact, 30% of girls who have a grade point average of 4.0 or above do not think they are smart enough for their dream careers. Their insecurities are holding them back from pursuing their dreams. More than half of all girls say that girls don’t consider a career in STEM because of lack of confidence.
“At Duke Energy, we’re committed to building powerful communities where students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all,” said Rhonda Whitaker Hurtt, Vice President, Community Relations & Economic Development for Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky. “Young Women LEAD plays a pivotal role in developing future women leaders. When women succeed, families thrive.”
“Your dreams are possible no matter how big they are and you just need to be yourself because you are beautiful inside and out.”
– Kacey, 9th grader, shares her learnings from Young Women LEAD Live!
Through SOAR, a group of professional women launched Young Women LEAD to ensure girls reach higher levels of confidence, personal growth and development.
SOARThanks to our sponsors’ commitment to developing strong girls across the country, we provide free programming to all girls!
Our SponsorsYou’ll find words of inspiration, articles and research of interest, webinars, podcasts and more on our social media accounts.
Our 500 Club members are providing high school girls with opportunities to explore careers, and develop leadership skills and self-confidence.
500 ClubYoung Women LEAD is a trusted nonprofit with a proven track record of providing interactive experiences to develop leadership skills in high school girls. We provide life-changing live events, conferences and evidence-based curriculum for high school girls focusing on Leadership, Education And Development.
We empower high school girls to embrace their strengths and to reach their full potential by providing free live events that foster their leadership development and growth.
Whether the events are delivered online or in person, girls hear exceptional keynote speakers. The speakers discuss the why it’s imperative girls build self-awareness and high self-esteem – and offer guidance on how they can develop themselves.
Girls interact in breakout sessions where they can meet girls who are going through similar issues, even if on the surface they have little in common. We afford them opportunities to interact with peers they may never have met – girls of various ethnicities, races, beliefs, socioeconomic levels and states. Girls have the opportunity to network with leading community and business leaders while developing their future workforce skills and aptitudes.
