New year, new confidence.

The letter below is built from the real words of some of the 193 girls who participated in the Fall ZGiRLS Confidence Program.

The Impact Behind the Letter

Overall Confidence Growth

On a 5-point scale, girls’ average confidence rose from 3.5 to 4.1, moving participants from “somewhat confident” to “quite confident.”

Biggest Growth Areas

ZGiRLS increased girls’ confidence across 10 measures, with the greatest gains in:

  • “I feel confident in my abilities” (3.5 → 4.3)

  • “I am proud of who I am” (3.5 → 4.4)

  • “I believe I am a valuable person” (3.5 → 4.4)

The Story Behind One Line

One powerful line in the letter came from a 12-year-old girl named Imogen:

“I can stand up without being uncomfortable, and I don’t have to be fearless.”

But Imogen didn’t start the program feeling this way. Before joining the Confidence Program, she shared:

“I feel shy to show myself and my personality at first.”

Her mom told us that Imogen struggled with confidence, comparison, goal-setting, and conflict resolution.

During the program, Imogen’s mindset began to shift. Here’s what Imogen said she learned during each week:

  • Week 1: “I can do well if I try my best.”

  • Week 2: “I can block out the things that other people say about me.”

  • Week 3: “I can take in my mistakes and learn from them instead of doubting myself and hating myself.”

  • Week 4: “I can stand up without being uncomfortable, and I don’t have to be fearless.”

By the end of the program, Imogen described feeling stronger in her confidence, and she especially loved the encouragement and connection she experienced each week from her peers. 

Her mom agreed: “I really loved this program for my daughter.  The sessions powerfully named many of the formative forces that I’ve wanted to share with my daughter so that she can realize her potential, cultivate her interests, and pursue her dreams.”

More from the Fall 2025 ZGiRLS participants

Click to expand each section to read more quotes from this season’s participants and what they learned each week.

    • “I am worth it. If I set goals and believe in myself I can be the best person I can be.” — A’Kayla, age 11

    • “It’s okay that I cannot do certain things yet I can just keep trying and be confident in myself.” — Nadira, age 12

    • “I can take off labels and not let them define me.” — Paisley, age 13

    • “I can make comparisons inspiring and I love a lot of things about my wonderful self.” — Roxanne, age 12

    • “I have the power to do more than I think I can.” — Hayden, age 12

    • “All of my failures were worth it in the end! “ — Samaira, age 11

    • “I can ask for help.” — Ganji, age 12

    • “I can express my feelings.” — Zivah, age 12

THANK YOU

For being the reason girls are ready to tackle the new year with courage.