Kranz Students Participate in Girls Build Leadership Summit

Kranz Students Participate in Girls Build Leadership Summit

     Several young ladies from Kranz Intermediate School took part in the Girls Build Leadership Summit on December 15 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in late December, featuring a keynote address by Hillary Rodham Clinton and remarks by Senator Kamala Harris. 

      An initiative run by the LA Promise Fund, Girls Build challenges young women from public middle and high schools to use STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) principles and 21st Century learning skills to effect social change.   Girls Build activates young women to engage with the issues they care about, and prepares them to solve the problems of tomorrow.  Kranz Intermediate’s students were among 10,000 young women in attendance at this extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime event that also featured accomplished professionals in the technology and entertainment sectors. 

      Inspiring teen girls to become society's next leaders, Clinton told the crowd that she believes girls and young women should aspire to affect change in their lives and their communities.


     "I really believe that girls and women are the future, but we have to believe it about ourselves,” said the former Secretary of State.  “Take this excitement and don't let it just be for one day. Decide what you're going to do to make a difference -- make a difference in your school, make a difference in your community, in your church, whatever it is that you care about."


      Clinton shared stories about her days in high school, the friendships she developed and about the groups she was involved with, including a church group that gave her the chance to meet Martin Luther King Jr. when she was 14 years old.  She stressed the importance of education, the importance of friendships and having a circle of support.


     “I really have been focused on giving young people the chance to live up to your God-given potential. I believe strongly that every single young person, especially in this country, deserves all of the tools that are needed to build an educated, healthy, safe life and then launch you into the future, whatever that may be for you,” she said.


      Also sharing their wisdom and experience were accomplished professionals and leaders including Bozoma Saint John, Uber’s Chief Brand Officer; Olympian and designer Ibtihaj Muhammad; BeautyCon CEO Moj Mahdara; mitu Founder Beatriz Acevedo; CAA Agent & Founder of Latina magazine, Christy Haubegger; BBDO New York Chief Marketing Officer Tara DeVeaux, and Dr. Knatokie Ford.


     Concluding the invigorating program was an inspiring talk by California Senator Kamala Harris, who was thrilled to see how the young girls were empowered by the energy of the program.

 

     “When I look out at you, I see the best of what California has to offer.  When I look at you, I see future scientists and CEOs and civic leaders, and I know I’m looking at a bright future,” said Harris.   “I look at you and I think of the barriers that you will break and the problems you will solve. And I’m confident that you will do amazing things not only because you are strong, and smart, and talented. Not only because you are brave, and fearless, and beautiful. But also because you are California kids.”


       Joining the Kranz scholars were their teachers, Olga Gallegos and Bernadette Dincin and MVSD superintendent, Lillian Maldonado French.

       

 

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