After a year locked inside, She’s the First is ready to make a global impact on girls’ education with interactive activities and fundraisers to raise awareness on girls’ education.

She’s the First (STF) has reached over 167,000 girls in more than 26 countries. This school’s chapter of STF contributed to this impact and was recently awarded the Superstar chapter award for being able to raise an amount of money that was on par with universities. “We are a group of maybe 30 high schoolers but we were still able to accomplish just as much and help just as many girls,” senior President Keerthi Padmanabhan said.

As a team, STF works to spread awareness on girls’ education and collect money that goes to a larger organization that buys materials and pays instructors to come teach at schools for girls in underprivileged areas. “I’ve always wanted to join an awareness club at Wootton and working to improve, expand and raise awareness on girls education is such a major topic,” junior Director of Communications Souvik Kar said. 

On Oct. 11, the club celebrated the Day of the Girl where members created posters about what it means to be a girl. “Together, STF honored the progress that females throughout the world have made to better society,” Padmanabhan said. 

Each month has a theme in which the team focuses on a major topic. In January, the club will tackle sex trafficking and create infographics to spread awareness of this pressing issue. According to a poster made by members on Jan. 23, 2020, “In 2018, 51.6% of criminal human trafficking cases active in America were sex cases involving children.”

Though Covid presented challenges, STF came back with unique fundraisers and activities. STF hopes to bring back Sweat for STF in which members come together at Zengo Cycle to raise money by exercising with their friends. “Sweat for STF is probably among my favorite events because we are able to raise money just from riding bikes together,” senior Vice President Vanshika Garg said. 

She’s the First partnered with Pura Vida Bracelets to provide scholarships to girls in low-income countries who will be the first in their family to graduate high school and receive a college education. Members can make a life changing impact by simply buying a cute bracelet, Garg said. This club has not only influenced the lives of girls across the globe but the lives of its members as well. Fighting for an important cause has unveiled aspects about themselves that were otherwise unknown and have taught them more about this world’s systemic problems. “If it wasn’t for She’s the First, I don’t think I would be learning as much about the issues girls face and helping them go to school,” Pandmanabhan said. 

This year, She’s the First hopes to grow and help more communities in need. “If we increase our members we would be able to raise so much more money and impact so many more girls and be better as an entire club,” Padmanabhan said.