SMARTGirl Mentorship Summit and Leadership Luncheon

The Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota

Friday, April 15, 2022 | 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM

 

Powered by the SRQ Women Who Roar Initiative

As the SRQ Women Who Roar Initiative continues to grow, so does our responsibility to give back to the community. SRQ MEDIA believes that girls can do anything. Sometimes girls need an extra boost of encouragement and examples of how to make their dreams come true. Supported through SRQ Women Who Roar, this initiative is a collaborative effort to set local girls up for success. SMARTGirl fosters “curated networking” and engages local elementary and middle school young women in a program designed to educate them on career possibilities and the tools they need to succeed through mentorship, soft skills training and hands-on workshops. Let’s help her ROAR and engage girls throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.

 

Engaging with female mentors from the region to explore career pathways, practice soft skills and  develop financial literacy.

 

Part networking, part testimonials from professionals and fully impactful, SMARTgirl is an event held at The Hyatt Regency, Sarasota for select elementary and middle school girls from Sarasota and Manatee counties or who are actively involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Sarasota YMCA, Girls Inc or the Girl Scouts. SRQ Media will host a soft-skills focused luncheon where a leader-mentor will be present at each table to connect with the girls and give them the opportunity to ask their most burning questions about their desired career path. The format of the luncheon is a presentation lineup of inspiring women leaders and the organizations supporting the program. Prior to the luncheon, the girls will participate in a networking meet & greet with mentors and local leaders.The goal is to connect young girls to examples of excellence within our region and provide encouragement, advice and feedback on how to make it happen.

 

2022 SMARTGIRL APPLICATIONS CLOSED FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH. GIRLS/PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30TH.


Submit Your Application to Participate in SMARTgirl 2022

We invite girls in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades in Sarasota, Manatee and Lee Counties to apply online. There is no fee to apply and the girls who are accepted into the SMARTgirl 2022 Summit program are invited to attend at no cost. Due to the generous support of our sponsors, we are able to underwrite all participation fees.

The 90+ girls accepted to the SMARTgirl Summit will spend a half-day developing their soft skills, personal brand, confidence, career imaginings and knowledge base necessary to navigate the challenges of the ever-changing 21st century world. At the SMARTgirl Summit, girls will interact with real-life female mentors and engage in hands-on activities that will give them the energy, focus and perspective to realize their dreams. The SMARTgirl program is powered by the SRQ MEDIA | Women Who Roar Initiative focused on catalyzing the power of human engagement to propel today and tomorrow's women leaders into the stratosphere of professional success, community stewardship, and personal fulfillment. 

 

SMARTgirl Mentorship Summit and Leadership Luncheon

Friday, April 15, 2022 | 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM

The Hyatt Regency, Sarasota | 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236

 

Applications Deadline: Friday, March 25, 2022

Allow for a thoughtful 20-30 minutes to complete the application—incomplete applications will not be considered.

For questions or to become a SMARTgirl Mentor for the 2022 Summit, contact Digital Marketing & Engagement Manager Hannah Peterson at hannah.peterson@srqme.com or Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement Ashley Grant  at smartgirl@srqme.com.

Agenda

9:00 am

Arrival and Drop Off

Location: Conference Center; The Hyatt Regency Sarasota

Please plan to drop off your SMARTgirl participants at the conference center on the waterfront-facing side of The Hyatt Regency Sarasota starting at 9am. Parents and chaperones will drop off their SMARTgirl and then return in the afternoon for pick up.

9:30 am

Registration and Interactive Ice Breaker Stations

Location: Pre-Event Space

10:00 am

Workshop A: Building From Your Strengths

Location: Banquet Salon

SMARTgirl participants have the opportunity to work with our team to identify, cultivate and explore their strengths as a foundation for career exploration.

10:30 am

Break

Location: Pre-Event Space

Take a break for beverages and snacks before heading into the next session.

10:45 am

Workshop B: Guided Career Exploration

Location: Banquet Salon

Work with leading women mentors from our community to explore careers that align with the strengths and interests cultivated in the previous workshop. Mentors share their career pathways with our SMARTgirls in one-on-one conversations.

11:30 am

Short Break Followed By Banquet Luncheon

Location: Banquet Hall

SMARTgirls work on their soft skills over lunch in conversation with one another and with mentors seated at each table.

12:15 pm

Opening Keynote Speaker | Sebrena Pawley of "I Was 16 Yesterday"

Location: Banquet Hall

Sebrena Pawley shares her journey to finding herself and paying it forward.

12:45 pm

Interactive Keynote Speaker | Blair Bloomston, Game ON

Location: Banquet Hall

Coming through an unprecedented time of disruption, Blair Bloomston shares tools, insights and perspectives to help our SMARTgirls stay mentally positive and strong as they navigate the unpredictability of today's world.

1:30 pm

Luncheon Wraps | SMARTgirl Video Booth Opens

Location: Pre-Event Space

Our SMARTgirls end the day sharing their "a-ha" moments with our documentary team.

2:00 pm

Wrap Up and Pick Up

Location: Pre-Event Space

Parents and chaperones are invited to pick up their SMARTgirl(s) from the Pre-Event Space starting at 1:30pm. We kindly ask that you pick up your SMARTgirl no later than 2:30pm. Thank you for joining us!

Speakers

Sponsors

event sponsor

New Balance Community Foundation of Sarasota County CareerEdge New College

Event Photos

Location


1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL

Contact

Ashley Grant

SVP, Strategic Partnerships and Engagmeent
ashley.grant@srqme.com

 

Hannah Peterson

Digital Marketing & Engagement Manager
hannah.peterson@srqme.com

For all other inquiries

Contact Us