GEMS - Girls Empowered by Mountain Shepherd

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GEMS4Life - Our Story

GEMS 1: Shining Bright - Girls can begin their Girls Empowered by Mountain Shepherd (GEMS) journey during this five-day overnight experience hosted at Mountain Shepherd Survival School. This introductory session is designed for girls going into grades 6-8. During Shining Bright, girls discover the seven survival priorities: positive mental attitude, first aid, shelter, fire, signaling, water, and food. This experience introduces girls to the parallels between each survival priority and their lives in the “front country.” Girls are also encouraged to explore their own personalities and communication styles, through which they gain an appreciation for teamwork and positive social interactions with their peers. GEMS 1 enables girls to find courage, build confidence, and show compassion for others through exciting and educational activities, such as night hikes, team-building games, and the practice of survival skills. Girls will be shining bright and ready for more empowerment when they leave!

GEMS 2: Digging Deeper - Girls who feel prepared to dig deeper into the parallels between survival skills and their day-to-day lives are invited to take on new challenges and celebrate bigger accomplishments during GEMS 2: Digging Deeper! This session is also a five-day overnight experience during which Girls Empowered will be challenged to step further outside their comfort zones by building on the skills and understandings they gained during GEMS 1. This experience begins with a review of the seven survival priorities, allowing girls to reflect upon their initial empowerment experiences. Then, girls spend the middle of the week on a 2-night backpacking expedition along the nearby Appalachian Trail, where they will strengthen their survival skills and begin exploring their own unique leadership and communication styles. The week concludes with caving and stand-up paddleboarding, both of which will allow girls to explore and prepare for situations that may be out of their element. GEMS 2 presents new challenges and opportunities for goal-setting to Girls Empowered, and girls will move forward with a deepened sense of courage, confidence, and compassion.

GEMS 3: Rock On - Avid Girls Empowered are invited to Rock On for another intensive five-day overnight experience focused on personal development and empowerment. This experience challenges girls in exciting ways by encouraging them to take on leadership roles among their peers while exploring new outdoor activities. While canoeing, camping, and rock climbing, girls will discover new parallels to their ever-changing lives. Girls will be challenged to think independently and to cooperate with fellow GEMS to be successful throughout the week. While other GEMS levels are designed for girls going into grades 6-8, GEMS 3 is open to girls who are beginning or continuing high school, too. Girls leave this inspiring and demanding week having grown into strong, compassionate, confident leaders, ready to Rock On in their communities!

GEMS 4: Be Genuine - Girls who have already shined bright, dug deeper, and rocked on are ready to Be Genuine on their fourth exciting endeavor! This session invites GEMS back to Mountain Shepherd for five days of personal growth and leadership development, plus plenty of outdoor adventures. Be Genuine challenges girls to use the survival, communication, leadership, and safety skills they’ve gained to plan an outdoor adventure, explore civil debate and compromise, investigate environmental issues, practice public speaking, and discover nutrition and personal health. Additionally, GEMS in Be Genuine will take day trips away from camp to practice land navigation on a day hike, dive deeper into paddling experiences, hit the trails on mountain bikes, experience nature from horseback, and practice their confidence pose in mid-air while ziplining! Girls will grow to be GEMuinely authentic, adventurous advocates in GEMS 4.

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