Awardees

WOMEN'S WAY and Women for Social Innovation congratulate the past winners of the Turning Point Prize:

Tracie Q. Gilbert - The Empowered Mom's Think Tank: 2011 Winner

Tracie Q. Gilbert’s project was awarded $15,000 to launch The Empowered Mom’s Think Tank. The Think Tank works to address the growing sexual developmental crisis facing adolescents in the Greater Philadelphia area. Women participating in this 10-month community education initiative  gain the tools they need to help their pre-teen and teen daughters make healthy, empowered decisions about complex social topics. Through a series of once-a-month, three-hour facilitated workshops, women work as a collective to co-create the foundational messages they want their teens to know about how the world works, in ways that affirm their experiences, values, and realities; yet support and encourage their continual growth and enlightenment. While the Think Tank is open to women of all walks of life, special emphasis is given to addressing the specific challenges facing African American women and girls from predominately low and moderate-income communities.

Jessica McKay - Rock to the Future: 2010 Winner

Jessica McKay, through her sponsoring organization Girls Rock Philly, was awarded $15,000 to launch Rock to the Future. This free after-school program, to be located in the Kensington/Fishtown area  provides music instruction and after school tutoring. Though open to all Philadelphia students, those coming from low-income single parent households have priority. 15 students ages 9-17 take instruction in guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, or voice lessons. The opportunity for private lessons is also available for a minimal fee. Students are welcome to return in following years for more advanced instruction. To promote women’s equality in art and music, guest presenters speak periodically to the students about women in the arts.

Jamie Gauthier - Mommy Grads: 2009 Winner

Jamie Gauthier, through her sponsoring organization, Girard Coalition Inc., was awarded $15,000 to implement her project, Mommy Grads.  The program helped up to twelve low-income, single mothers successfully complete a college degree. Mommy Grads acts as a support for these students and connects the participants with resources to address the most common barriers to college completion including childcare, transportation, healthcare, and financial support. The program creates a social network for the single mothers through which they gain peer support, mentoring from former or current single mothers who successfully obtained a four-year degree, and the skills necessary for success in postsecondary education.