Background InformationThe mission of A Girls World (AGW) is to inspire, educate and promote girls’ independence. Agirlsworld.com offers a place where girls can get hands on experience with technology. Our girls don't just read books, they write them. They don't just play games, they design them. They don't just come to a website, they help design the pages, write the articles and edit them. 225,000 girls a month read, submit and shape every feature on our site, from the penpal program to feature articles. It's an interactive introduction to how they can use technology to make things happen: from shaping friendships to saving animals to planning for their futures. The “girlpower” result? Six million hits a month with over 600,000 page views. In May of 1996 "A Girl's World Online Clubhouse," www.agirlsworld.com, started in answer to one girl’s complaint that the Internet was nothing but a “boy’s world” with nothing of real interest to girls. A group of neighborhood girls met together with founder, Karen Willson, to produce four web pages of girl-oriented content that promoted writing, independence and communication. They formed a “Girl Crew” of girls and teens to create content and design programs. Seven years later, their 600 page website shows that "girlpower" on the web works. In 1997, Yahooligans broke their own rules (that sites are only mentioned once) by featuring AGW ten times in their themed “Big Picture” and “Holidays” areas. “Pajama Party”, a virtual mini-site, offers themed monthly arts and crafts for tweens and teens. “Pajama Party” features include:
AGW also recruited girls from around the world to join the Girl Crew in the task of writing advice and interviewing women with cool careers. In 1997, AGW added one of the first online International Penpal Clubs. Praised by the major Consumer Reporting magazine as one of the safest on the Internet, the penpal club signed up over 40,000 girls from 180 countries. What made the penpal club software so interesting to girls is that each question in the signup area was submitted by a girl or a teen. Users could use this feature to create their own online “diary” or journal of weekly events. In 1998, AGW increased the number of articles on the website and added interactive features such as the Magic Story, Quizzes and other games. In 1999, AGW expanded the online diary system to become a daily publication of thoughts, experiences and opinions of girls and teens. Currently, this is one of the most popular features on the website. In November, 2000, AGW was honored to be one of the featured presenters alongside Nickelodeon, Disney and Fox Kids at the Federal Trade Commission's "Kids' Privacy Compliance Training for Website Operators" workshop. Privacy and safety are two of AGW's principal concerns. Taking extra care to protect users from Internet predators, AGW requires signed permission slips sent through the U.S. mail in order for members to edit for the club or to get a penpal. In 2001, members of A Girl's World Online Clubhouse helped create an educational Web-based game that encourages youngsters to spay and neuter their pets. Brigid Cleary, 11, and Angela Oritz, 14, recognized the tragic problem of pet overpopulation and presented their idea for "Spay Now" to the North County Humane Society two years ago. PetSmart Charities donated $10,000 to fund the game, which can be accessed from the North County Humane Society's Web site, www.nchumane.org. A Girl's World proudly partnered with Wells College on the Wells College Discovery Program. Wells wanted to get girls connected with something exciting: their future! As part of this program, Wells offered a special scholarship and a schedule of selected chat guests who spoke about their creative and interesting careers. It was a terrific opportunity for girls and teens everywhere. Thanks to Wells College's sponsorship, the girls got the ultimate discount; it was free. A Girl's World launched the first three of a six-book series of advice books written for girls, by girls and teens that focus on the daily challenges girls face. Talking About: Boys, Talking About: Friends and Talking About: Growing Up from Prima Publishing offer compassionate, insightful and timely advice that is straight from the heart. Holding fast to their mission for girls to be independent contributors, three teen editors tackled the tough job of pouring through thousands of girl-written submissions from around the globe to compile and deliver their best advice through the Talking About books. In 2002, A Girl’s World expanded their Talking About series. Three additional girl editors joined our family of teen writers by finding the very best of girls’ views on what they experience in their daily lives. Their three new books were: Talking About Being Your Best, Talking About My Life and Talking About Family. In June of 2002, AGW presented its first online interactive course: www.babysittingclass.com. Created by babysitters, endorsed by parents, reviewed by nurses, EMTs, and public safety educators, this girl-powered course trains sitters to prevent emergencies through proper planning, and to give thoughtful, loving care to their charges. The City of Oceanside Parks and Recreation Department added our Babysitting Class to its recreation program schedule. The Girl Scouts of America invited AGW and www.babysittingclass.com to be exhibitors at their National Convention in Long Beach. Babysittingclass.com can now serve as part of 14 Girl Scout badges and interest projects, including the National Safety Award for Juniors, Cadets and Seniors. In March of 2003, www.babysittingclass.com certified their 1,000th sitter and sponsored “Sitter School Safety Week”, a safety and awareness initiative that was picked up by radio stations across the country and listed in "Chase's Calendar of Events". In September of 2004, a new all-web based version of the penpal club was released and has proved to be an exceptionally successful way for girls from all over the world to make friends safely, without having to give away personal information, no small feat in these days of worries about Internet safety for children. The North County Humane Society granted $5,000 to A Girl’s World to begin work on their latest collaboration: www.petsittingclass.com. Petsittingclass.com is an online e-learning class that will educate petsitters and owners in the art of giving a pet everything they need to be healthy, safe and happy. The class will offer an easy, effective and affordable way for young adults and grownups alike to learn how to turn pet care skills into a moneymaking business that is good for pets and brings peace of mind to pet owners. After ten years, AGW has transformed from a four-page hang out into an online magazine community. Our motto, “Do it, Dream it, Be it,” expresses our accomplishment. By working together, we’ve built a space where girls and teens truly rule the web. Contact: PUBLISHER KAREN WILLSON,
800-710-7437 or
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