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Welcome to Gritty Girl
A Creative and Performing Arts Lab Designed to Empower Girls
Gritty Girls in Action
Gritty Girl is a Creative and Performing Arts Lab. The girls collaborate on original music, drama, and visual arts through a process of exploration, experimentation, and discovery. Similar to a science lab, girls come up with a big idea question, then inquire, research, propose ideas, play games, journal, try new things, and script stories and songs in their own words. Working with different guest artists, girls make visual art and clothing in support of their stories. In addition to being a creative outlet, Gritty Girl provides a safe and innovative space for girls to connect meaningfully with other girls.
What Makes a Gritty Girl
A Gritty Girl is a spirited, fierce truth-teller. She is courageous and resolute, honoring her word and her body. A young woman of integrity, high self-esteem and clear boundaries, she is respectful of others, loving, ethical, and kind. She is a leader, a role-model, and a trusted volunteer in her community. Balancing creativity and critical thinking, she is emotionally intelligent and makes effective decisions. Watch these Gritty Girls sing the original song they created in summer camp 2020: ‘I’m an earthling.’
The Gritty Girl Process
The Gritty Girl Process
Using an arts-integrated approach under the creative direction of Michelle Riu, professional singer-songwriter, actress, and teaching-artist, Gritty Girls create and perform original music, write and act in original plays for live performance, and write and produce their own TV show, GGTV. Guest artists also work with the girls to create empowering visual art and choreography. Through a collaborative process of exploration, experimentation and discovery the girls are encouraged to find their inner voice and powerfully express it through story. As the Hopi American Indian Proverb goes, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world. In this video, guest artist Kristie Stephenson from Jamaica, makes chalkboard art with the Gritty Girls during summer camp as they develop the new story, “Hook It Up!”
Gritty Girl Benefits
say that creativity is the number one skill they are seeking when hiring*
in all-female learning environments feel their opinions are respected compared to 58% of girls in co-ed learning environments**
Students who take four years of arts and music classes average almost 100 points better on their SAT scores than students who take only one-half year or less*
*miarted.org ** ncgs.org