Aileen Sandoval, Senior at Soledad High School, was awarded a $10,000 Girls Inc. Lucile Miller Wright Scholarship.

Aileen has been part of Girls Inc. since the 5th grade, participating in every program offered and now serving in her second year as a Girls Inc. Intern. Over the years, she has embraced every opportunity to learn, lead, and build confidence — and she credits the programs with shaping her into the young woman she is today.

Reflecting on her journey, Aileen shares: “Over the years the Girls Inc. programs like Growing Together, Will power/Won’t Power, and ECHO opened doors to topics I would’ve never had the access before. We learned about topics like mental health, social media, sisterhood, college readiness, and advocacy. These weren’t just lessons but tools I use every day and will continue to use going forward.  Through the Growing Together program I became closer to my mother as a person, not just a mom.  Together with her I learned that my body and the changes I was experiencing were completely normal. The Will Power/Won’t Power modules taught me to think seriously about making decisions because they will all have consequences whether they be good or bad. Many pre-teen and teens are tempted to experience substances abuse, but I was fully educated on the serious impact drugs had on our young bodies and minds; thus, I was always able to make a clear decision that was healthy and felt empowered to share that information with friends.”