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Chattanooga area girls explore their leadership potential

Girls Inc. participants Kezia King, Jael Jones, Jayla Watkins and MaKayla Craddock, from left, present their suggestions for the Brainerd neighborhood to the Chattanooga City Council. Brooke Satterfield, one of the local leaders with whom the girls worked, said they were nervous going in, but nerves quickly turned to excitement. "The girls realized 'The things that I say actually matter and I can make a difference,'" Satterfield said. (Contributed photo)
Girls Inc. participants Kezia King, Jael Jones, Jayla Watkins and MaKayla Craddock, from left, present their suggestions for the Brainerd neighborhood to the Chattanooga City Council. Brooke Satterfield, one of the local leaders with whom the girls worked, said they were nervous going in, but nerves quickly turned to excitement. "The girls realized 'The things that I say actually matter and I can make a difference,'" Satterfield said. (Contributed photo) Girls Inc. participants Kezia King, Jael Jones, Jayla Watkins and MaKayla Craddock, from left, present their suggestions for the Brainerd neighborhood to the Chattanooga City Council. Brooke Satterfield, one of the local leaders with whom the girls worked, said they were nervous going in, but nerves quickly turned to excitement. "The girls realized 'The things that I say actually matter and I can make a difference,'" Satterfield said. (Contributed photo)

By Carson Cook 3 min read

A group of elementary school girls is learning how their voices can make a difference after presenting their observations about the Brainerd community to the Chattanooga City Council earlier this year.

The group of 13 girls, ages 9 to 11, had participated in Discovery Leadership, a program run by Girls Inc. of Chattanooga. Last fall, the girls met after school at Brainerd United Methodist Church.

As part of the course on leadership, the girls took community walks, identifying the neighborhood’s strengths along with potential areas for improvement.

For example, the girls liked that the area had playgrounds and seemed to be family-friendly. However, they also noticed a problem with cars speeding, as well as a lack of sidewalks.

In December, the girls presented their findings to an audience that included Chattanooga City Councilman Russell Gilbert, who represents District 5, where BUMC is located. Gilbert was so impressed that he invited them to speak to the entire city council, which they did in late January.