Presenting the sweet 17. Seventeen mentees committed to dreaming big, being bold and building that tribe. Seventeen girlz dedicated to talking about real life, asking real questions and getting real answers.
Mariana Piedrahita
Age: 20
Location: Miami, Florida
"I am extremely excited about joining the first class of Girlz FTW mentees and be surrounded by strong and inspiring women. I'm excited to be surrounded by woman that support one another, and are not afraid to speak out about the issues we face. I'm excited to learn about new careers, and get advice from someone with my same mentality. I'm excited to join the movement of girls empowering and supporting each other."
Bhavana Ravala
Age: 16
Location: Bloomington, Illinois
Bhavana Ravala is a junior at Normal Community High School. As she starts the process of applying to college and juggles AP classes with her organization Four Corners, she looks forward to learning tips and tricks for succeeding as a young woman in 2017. Bhavana hopes to learn more about "the real world" and prepare herself to be a part of it with help from her incredible mentor.
Shafaq Khan
Age: 19
Location: Elmont, New York
"I'm excited to establish a relationship with my mentor. I'm also looking forward to learning how to navigate struggles in college and the workplace."
Nikita Natarajan
Age: 20
Location: Gurgaon, Haryana
"I'm really excited to be a part of this mentorship programme. Having an inspiration like Nicol Perez as a mentor will really go a long way in helping me to understand my potential so that I can do my bit in changing the world unhindered by my own weaknesses."
Shirley Leanne Fowler
Age: 17
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
"I am so excited to be a part of this program because it will be a great chance for me to learn from another girl who has been through situations that I may need help in! It's also a plus to be connected with a group of girls that only want to empower and support each other!"
Louise Baert
Age: 20
Location: Montréal, Canada
"I am so glad to be part of this amazing program! I can’t wait to share, learn and create with inspiring young women from all over the world!"
Kathryn Stoudemire
Age: 19
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
"I am excited to be part of the program because I firmly believe that empowered women, empower women. I am ecstatic to be part of a program that focuses on building up young women, providing them all the resources to be successful, and just overall providing a strong support network. I cannot wait to embark on this journey with such a wonderful group of 'LeadHERS!'"
Eunice Kim
Age: 20
Location: Ridgefield, New Jersey
"Strong, determined women have helped shape my life and I can't wait to get to know more through this program. I'm excited to hassle my mentor with questions and to form empowering, supportive relationships with my fellow mentees!"
Saveri Nandigama
Age: 18
Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan
"I am very excited to be a part of this first cohort of mentees. I am eager to see how I will grow as a woman, student and professional during this time, and I am most grateful for the opportunity to talk to a woman who is already making her mark on the world, while remaining true to herself."
Aileen Wu
Age: 16
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
"I'm excited to be a a part of the GIRLZ, FTW mentorship program because there is so much I want to do, but I often have no idea how to get started or lose focus. In this program, I'll be able to not only gain perspective but also meet some great people. Most of all, I'm excited to be part of a community that empowers and helps girls change the world!"
Firuza Davlyatshoeva
Age: 20
Location: Brooklyn, New York
"I am so thrilled and honored to be part of this amazing team. Cannot wait to start to build our strong community of girls with full of power and powerful ideas. The only reason that I am so pleased to be a member of this community is to fight to create more leader-girls and to fight for gender equality throughout the world. Because, I believe that 'Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.'"
Kashish Kalwani
Age: 18
Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India
"I'm really excited and looking forward to begin this mentorship Programme. It's something new and changes are always good for one's growth. I hope this programme helps me overcome my fears and make a positive impact on the people around me. Cheers!"
Lezly Aguilar-Ramirez
Age: 17
Location: Lagrangeville, New York
"This program means opportunity and opportunity is what I and many other girls in this program need! I am so excited to take advantage of this great gift and look forward to using this program as a means to excel in life with a guide by my side. Thank you GIRLZ, FTW!"
Amy Wang
Age: 16
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
"I really believe in mentorship and the importance of fostering a community where women can support each other in their respective endeavors. A lot of leaders, conferences, and people in my life have emphasized the value of mentorship for their professional careers and I want to experience the positive effects of being in a mentoring relationship and hopefully benefit others in the future as well!"
Kinza Awais
Age: 15
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
"I want to build up my intelligence not only by books but by the world. I want to be someone who changes the world not just stays in it, and I want to learn from educated individuals on how I can reach a level of being content by how I affected the world."
Shaina Zafar
Age: 17
Location: Garden City, New York
"I'm incredibly excited to be a part of GIRLZFTW! This movement for female mentorship is the perfect opportunity for girls like me to build meaningful relationships with other influential girls! Connecting with a community of motivated people and learning from one another will not only be an amazing experience, but also be the perfect opportunity to create girl love, build positivity, and spread supportive advice!"
Sneha Dave
Age: 18
Location: Greenwood, Indiana
"I am so excited to be a part of this program because of my mentor, Ellie, who is super supportive and because I will gain an incredibly supportive network of women. I am hoping that through this program, I can define my passions more to make an even greater impact on my community!"