SEL Awardee

Shawana Ridley

Burnside Scholastic Academy
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago, IL
“Burnside Scholastic Academy Middle School seeks to develop a philosophy of empowerment and confidence for young brown girls in a Title 1 school on Chicago’s south side. Brown Girl Magic (BGM) has implemented projects that has helped our girls feel secure with themselves, learn to take action, make positive choices about their own lives and do positive things for others. Brown Girl Magic aims to encourage girls to grow up to lead full, valuable lives. Our motto speaks to our primary goal: The Most Important Thing A Girl Wears Is Her Confidence.”
Tags: Identity Development, Mentorship, Middle School, Teacher, Traditional Public School, Trauma-Informed, Urban