By Aneesa Grant, The Seattle Medium
The KD Hall Foundation’s Girls on the Rise program, which provides educational opportunities and resources to empower young women and girls who have been denied their right to a fair and just education, is in danger of losing its funding, which would limit its ability to empower young women and girls in Washington State.
In the proposed Operating Budgets prepared by the Washington State House and Senate, the Washington State Legislature could redirect funding for year 3 of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), even though the funds are already committed to programs to support young people statewide.
According to KD Hall, founder of the KD Hall Foundation, if the Legislature moves forward in this way, it would leave many young girls needing more financial assistance to access educational opportunities, putting the future of Girls on the Rise at stake.
“We cannot let the lack of funding jeopardize the future of Girls on the Rise,” said Hall. “We urge lawmakers to reconsider the decision to redirect the third year of ESSER funding and to prioritize the education and empowerment of young women and girls in the state.”
The Girls on the Rise program’s proven competency and application-based learning model is integral to its current leadership model and has the potential to positively impact the education system as a whole. However, if the Legislature moves forward with redirecting ESSER funding that has already been committed to organizations including the KD Hall Foundation, the program is at risk of being unable to provide leadership guidance to young women and girls from around Washington.
The Girls on the Rise program is piloting programs with three schools in the fall of 2023/24, but its future is still being determined with the funding uncertainty. The program seeks to empower young women and girls from around Washington, many of whom have experienced sexual abuse. The KD Hall Foundation believes all young girls deserve access to the resources and support necessary to empower them and help them rise above their circumstances.
At a recent girls’ conference, the foundation was shocked to learn that 70% of attendees had experienced sexual abuse. These girls seek leadership programs to help them. The KD Hall Foundation believes all young girls deserve access to the resources and support necessary to empower them and help them rise above their circumstances.
The KD Hall Foundation is committed to ensuring that Girls on the Rise becomes a reality in every school within the next five years. The foundation believes that this transformation must start in elementary school and that empowering young women creates a better future for all.
To learn more about the KD Hall Foundation and its Girls on the Rise program, please visit www.kdhallfoundation.org.
