My name is Celene Alva-Cowling, and I am a Girls Inc. Girl. I say that a lot actually as an employee of Girls Inc. of Alameda County I am often asked about what led me to the work that I do.

I am often introduced with that line “This is Celene and she is actually a Girls Inc. girl”. Truthfully at first I didn’t quite understand why that was the introduction to peers that were meeting me for the first time. It wasn’t until one of my colleagues said to me “you know it’s a lot of pressure, doing this job, Because you are a result of these programs and what if I can’t help them become someone like you.” Being a Girls Inc. girl means that you have confidence, self-empowerment, and resilience. Girls Inc. prides itself in serving the whole girl, and I am testament to all it stands for. I fully believe that being a Girls Inc. girl has empowered me to be strong, smart, and bold in all that I do. For that I have Girls Inc. of the Central Coast to thank.

I joined my first Girls Inc. of the Central Coast program in 2003. If you had met me at age 12 you would have seen a very shy girl, a girl with very little will power and hardly any faith in her abilities as a student and a leader. I grew up in a small family with one male sibling and a strained relationship with my parents.

The program really fostered me and allowed me to explore my passions, and who and what inspired me in life. As a participant, I remember looking forward to coming to the meetings. The inspiration I got from my youth leaders gave me the desire to want to be a mentor myself. I finally felt like I had a purpose, like I was good at something. It was life changing. It made me fall in love with teaching and education. Through Girls Inc., I discovered what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I knew that working for this program was something that would pay off in the end. And pay it did. I am a proud 2009 Girls Inc. National Scholar and winner of a Lucille Miller Wright Scholarship. Girls Inc has become such a huge part of my life that it has helped shape my career as an educator. Girls Inc. instilled in me that I can achieve anything I set my mind to as long as I am willing to work for it. My goal has always been to be the best educator I can be.

I graduated with degrees in English and Ethnic Studies from California State University East Bay in 2014. Later receiving a Masters of education and a CA Teaching Credential from University of the Pacific in 2018. I am currently Girls Inc of Alameda County’s Literacy Specialist. My passion and motivation in education have always been driven by the opportunities that Girls Inc. afforded me and I hope to continue to inspire young girls to be strong, smart and bold.