BOISE — Local businesses and foundations are helping to bring the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Visions mentoring program to girls throughout the Treasure Valley.

Visions is a free, in-school program that provides fourth- to sixth-grade girls a structured, all-girl safe space designed to build self-esteem and prevent risky behaviors in the critical pre-teen years. The program helps girls develop competence in a variety of life-coping skills, such as healthy decision-making and problem-solving, healthy relationships, communication and conflict resolution, and personal safety.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage received funds from Mountain West Bank, Washington Federal Bank and Whittenberger Foundation, totaling $11,000 for the Visions in-school mentoring program. Thanks to their contributions, Visions served 130 girls in 14 schools in Boise, Nampa and Meridian in the fall of 2019. By the end of the 2019-20 school year, 250 girls will be reached.

“We are so grateful for how deeply committed these organizations are to the prosperity of our region,” said Girl Scouts of Silver Sage CEO Patricia Pyke. “It's because of people like them that so many girls get to experience what it means to be a Girl Scout.”

The program is led by trained, female volunteers and school counselors who mentor the girls. Volunteers provide guidance, encouragement and support for girls who are in dire need of positive mentorship. Activities in the Visions program include journaling, playwriting and performance pieces on body image and self-esteem, assembling family trees, community mapping, conflict resolution practice and anti-bullying role-play.