This past fall, eighteen seventh and eighth grade girls from Midcoast Maine became the next generation of young leaders in their communities. They were nominated by school principals, guidance counselors and teachers to participate in the Wavus Girls Lead program, an initiative of Kieve- Wavus Education Inc.  An exhibit of the girls’ work will be on display at Skidompha Public Library between Feb. 2 and Feb. 12.

In its second year, the program increased from 12 to 18 girls and received a new burst of energy from four Lincoln Academy students who were the first wave of Wavus Girls Lead Mentors. Lucy Williams, Isabel Carlson, Kate Laemmle and Catherine Roy significantly impacted the girls’ experience by embodying the Kieve-Wavus mission and providing guidance as inspirational role models.  

“I had no idea WGL would become as important to my life as it did,” Williams said. “Going a week without it made me feel empty. I thought I was only here for the girls, but I realized I was also here for myself.” 

The program has also benefited from an outstanding staff of credentialed experts in women and gender studies, astronomy, art, chemistry, and social justice and diversity. 

While WGL is based out of the Wavus Campus in Jefferson, the program includes opportunities to explore all three of the Kieve-Wavus campuses. Weekends were spent exploring Muscongus Bay on the Snowgoose III while camping at Bremen Landing, tackling the indoor climbing wall at Kieve and night paddles from the Wavus shores on Damariscotta Lake.  The girls put their handmade telescopes to work under the starry skies of Hog Island thanks to astronomy instructor Nicole Hastings of Bates College and Audubon staff member Eric Schneider, who both brought their own telescopes and equipment for a night viewing of Saturn and its rings. Partnership with Hardy Girls Healthy Women created opportunities to explore what leadership means and to support the girls in building and practicing the skills needed to navigate gender barriers and negative media portrayals. 

WGL is currently recruiting girls from Great Salt Bay, Bristol Consolidated School, Nobleboro Central School, Boothbay Regional Elementary School, Jefferson Village School and Whitefield Elementary School. For more information, contact Director Megan Taft at Kieve-Wavus at 549-5719, ext. 210 or megant@kievewavus.org.