“The Girl Effect” is a new club designed to support girls and women around the world as well as those in their communities and schools.

The founders of the club, juniors Addie Evans, Kaitlyn Carl, Caela McMillon, Kadie Nugent, Rachel Alvey and Jenny Skells, searched at the beginning of the year for a way to help women both overseas and at home. In late January, Evans found an organization online called The Girl Effect. The organization is all about working to improve girls’ lives and, in turn, improving the world.

“It’s about empowering girls to allow them to improve their lives and, therefore, their families and their communities,” sponsor Debra Brewer said.

The Girl Effect was approved as a club in mid-February after meeting with principal Bill Harrington. Although the group is using the name of the organization, they have adapted the purpose for what they want to accomplish. While the organization gives money to girls in developing countries. The mission statement of the club states that they will raise funds to empower women in developing countries as well as work to empower themselves and the women in their school.

“We want to focus on helping women in other countries and women in our school as well,” Skells said.

While The Girl Effect is about helping and supporting women around the world and in their community, the founders don’t want it to be looked at as a club only for girls.

“It’s not a feminist club, and we don’t want it to be viewed that way,” junior Jenny Skells said. “We just want to be there for girls in our school.”

Five boys attended the first meeting along with 24 girls.

“That really showed that this is not going to be a group only girls can be involved in,” Skells said.

The Girl Effect meets at 7:10 a.m. on Tuesdays in Room 204.