By Daily Press staff
Dozens of local girls will build their trade skills this summer. Middle school girls will empower themselves as they learn to cut pieces of plywood with the jigsaw, assemble cut wood with a nail gun, and braise metals to create a one-of-a-kind, functional work of art at Rosie’s Girls, an award-winning summer camp program offered by the city of Santa Monica.
Rosie’s Girls is a trades exploration program for girls entering sixth through eighth grades, designed to build self-esteem, physical confidence, interpersonal cooperation, and leadership skills through learning and applying basic skills in carpentry, welding, and other trades, as well as a range of physical challenges. Rosie’s Girls Santa Monica is held at the city maintenance yards, 2500 Michigan Ave.
During both the first and second session of Rosie’s Girls, held in Santa Monica July 10-28 and Aug. 7-25, participants will build working lamps and hope chests. In addition to practicing their skills in shop-based activities, participants also apply themselves in “real world” public service work, enabling them to trim trees in local parks, rappel down the three-story fire department training tower, and fill potholes in the city’s streets. Girls also will have the opportunity to work on community projects for local social service agencies. This summer the girls will build a playhouse for toddlers of high school students and garden boxes for domestic abuse victims.
This summer Rosie’s Girls will debut its supplementary apprentice, a.k.a. A-Team, program designed for alumnae 14 years and older who have previously completed two or more Rosie’s Girls summer sessions. Through a rigorous application and interview process, eight apprentices were chosen in May 2006 to utilize the many trades and leadership skills learned during their own time in Rosie’s Girls to be positive role models and tutor current participants with the guidance of staff. At the completion of the full session, each apprentice will receive a $100 stipend, sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of California Los Angeles Donors Circle. This year Rosie’s Girls continues to be a recipient of the Women’s Foundation of California Los Angeles Donors Circle’s $10,000 grant. The grant provides scholarship funding for girls who would otherwise not be able to afford the Rosie’s Girls program.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 30, 2006. Read the original PDF.