G.O.O.D. News - Winter 2024 - Volume 1.3 (LG 12.20

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Mentoring young girls into confident young women!
First Look:
Innovative Ventures
Taking Flight on Spectrum TV
Fun Facts & Good Reads
Dare To Be First… and Use Your Voice!
Meet AOC
G-DEP Activities
Mentee Highlights

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Founder’s Statement and Appreciation of Funders
Lori Stephens, Founder / President, G.O.O.D. for Girls, Inc.
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
As we come to the close of 2024, let me just say I keep finding joy in the ride! With your
support, we have expanded our programming and partnerships and are thrilled to welcome
in new mentees, volunteer staff, Executive and Advisory Board members and stakeholders.
We are thankful for the efforts each has made and continue to make on behalf of all girls
participating in GfG programs. Your impact is immeasurable!
As a nation, we are about to embark on interesting times. As we round out this year and set
our sights on 2025, let’s continue to passionately pursue our purpose, make time for family and friends, and always
lift each other up! Hmmm… sounds familiar??? That’s what this season is all about! I hope you have a safe and
inspiring holiday season and New Year filled with joy and love! Peace and Blessings!
Executive Board
Lori Stephens
Jackquelyn Harris Young
Chavonne Collins
Dr. Stephanie Quarles
Joanne Askew
Belinda Johnson
Dr. Shakira Kennedy
Carolyn McNair
Kaiesha Mason
Committees
Amanda Chiang
Krista Creacy
Joan Gardner-Lewis
Jacqueline Wellons
Volunteer Support Staff
Joan Gardner-Lewis
Christine Fils-Amin
Maxine Woodhouse
Advisory Board
Monica Arismendez
Dr. Audrey Brutus
Dr. Alexandria Connally
Dr. Margie Daniels
Charlette Finch
Sandra Gray-Freeman
Dashea Hickson
Amanda Hinkson
Terry Joyner
Shawna E. Miller
Patricia Moss
Rev. Michele Range Bowman
Tara Richards
Deborah Romain
Takisha Sales
Roda Simmons
Rev. Daphne Swinton
Andrea Stewart-Cousins*
Rev. Dr. Verlin D. Williams*
*Honorary
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Editorial Team
LeShanna Green is a GfG volunteer and an editor on the Editorial Team. She is passionate about
the empowerment and preparation of young girls as they explore the various possibilities for their
future. LeShanna is the Founder of LPG Business Services & Consulting LLC assisting businesses
and entrepreneurs with planning and professional development to reach their goals while using
their strengths to fulfill their greatest potential. LeShanna is an advocate for financial literacy and
education. She believes that it is your social responsibility to support and aid in the progression
of your community.
**************
As an aspiring lawyer, it is no surprise that Kaylah Newell loves to read and debate. She is a rising
8th grader at Fieldston, plays the viola and is an accomplished actress having performed in such
plays as, In The Heights and Once Upon A Mattress. Kaylah volunteers and raises awareness
about food insecurity. She prepares meals at the Ronald McDonald House and stocks the food
pantry for the Teen Taskforce. With her intellect, ability to command the attention of her audience and
willingness to help those in need, she is sure to make an impact.
Saige Falloon-Butler is currently a rising 6 th grader at Brearley. In addition to working towards
becoming an engineer, Saige aspires to be an aesthetician. She recognizes the lack of
specialized skincare for women of color and looks to solve that problem one face at a time. Saige
really enjoys reading out loud and likes to be active and cozy - simultaneously. Something that’s
very special to her is her cat, Crystal – they just love to cuddle!
An aspiring Master Chef, Unique Ward cooks up a storm, and in her spare time, has taken to
expressing herself through poetry. A rising 5 th grader at RJ Bailey, she also likes to run and
encourages her peers to do the right thing. Unique enjoys spending time with her family. The
person she admires the most is her grandma because, “she looks after me and my sister, and
talks to us about how to be our best.”
A young lady who demands excellence, Madison Lee currently serves on the GfG Youth Executive
Council. She is a rising 8 th grader at Eastview Middle School and aspires to be an engineer. Her
favorite subject is science, and she is already considering the colleges she may want to attend
to make her dreams and career a reality. Madison plays the cello and her favorite song to play is
Jingle Bell Rock.
A rising 9 th grader at Woodlands High School, Michaela Amoah is an aspiring Teaching Artist. She
is a member of the newly established GfG Youth Executive Council and enjoys reading, drawing
and relaxing. Michaela is also exploring a variety of activities to explore her niche.
Jackquelyn (Jackie) Young, Program Director, GfG serves as an assistant to the Editorial Team.
As an educator, she enthusiastically engages and nurtures the minds, interests and potential of
young girls. Jackie challenges students to be confident and ambitious by highlighting the
accomplishments of female groundbreakers to inspire and motivate them. She also helps them
to identify and secure the resources needed to reach their own personal greatness.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Innovative Ventures
12-Year-Old Eniola Shokunbi Receives $11.5M in Funding for Air Filter Invention
Eniola Shokunbi was in the fifth grade at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy
in Middletown, Connecticut, when her teacher tasked the class with creating a
solution to future pandemic issues that might arise in schools, Shoppe Black reports.
Drawn to the need for better air quality due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eniola set her
sights on developing a smart air filter system with built-in sensors.
Utilizing a low-cost combination of furnace
filters, a box fan, duct tape, and cardboard,
Eniola was able to prototype her design for
just $60 per unit, making it the most costeffective
alternative to commercial air
purifiers. “The air goes through all the sides, and it comes out of the top,
so it filters in and out”, Eniola explained to reporters.
Eniola received support from scientists at the University of Connecticut
(UConn), where her invention underwent several rounds of testing. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) then confirmed that the device
successfully eliminated more than 99% of airborne viruses and could be
a viable low-cost tool in classrooms.
Now, the Connecticut State Bond Commission has approved $11.5
million in funding to implement the filters in schools across Connecticut.
The funding is an extension of UConn’s SAFE-CT: Supplemental Air
Filtration for Education Program, which is focused on ensuring every
public-school classroom has access to air purification systems. Eniola
has been praised for her work by state officials and hopes to expand her air filters to schools across America.
STEM and Ambition
With a vision to solve a problem that could improve the health of herself and her fellow students, Eniola utilized her
STEM skills and creativity to design an affordable solution for one of human’s most essential needs – to breathe
clean, fresh air.
Words of Wisdom:
“A lot of people don’t realize that the only thing standing
between them and getting sick is science,” explained the
6th grader.
Reflection: What ideas do you have that can make an impact or solve a problem in your community?
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Taking Flight on Spectrum TV
Kamora Freeland: One of the Country’s Youngest Black Female Pilots
Have you seen the Spectrum commercial with Kamora? She was featured in our last issue…
“Let Your Dreams Take Flight… Live Life Unlimited.”
Kamora Freeland continues jet-setting to new heights recently starring in a Spectrum TV commercial highlighting
her journey of becoming a pilot since she was a child. She ultimately made that dream a reality when she earned
her pilot’s license in February 2024.
Growing up in Staten Island, she imagined exploring the ocean as a
marine biologist until her first flight lesson at the age of 15. She never
envisioned becoming a pilot, but after flying she said, “Wow! I could
do this for a living.”
Kamora’s mother, Lakema, became the wind beneath her youngest
daughter’s wings after discovering the United Youth Aviators (UYA) in
August 2019. In the UYA program, students learn the rules of flight
from Federal Aviation Administration certified flight instructors. Her
teacher admired the fact that Kamora, “learns from her mistakes and
quickly corrects herself in the cockpit.”
As one of the few African American female pilots in the US, where only 5% of flight
captains are women and less than 1% of those pilots are black, she hopes that her
stratospheric accomplishments inspire change in the industry.
Words of Wisdom:
“I want people my age and in my community to know that nothing is impossible,”
said Kamora. “You can literally break through any barrier.”
Reflection: Think about the limitations have you may have placed on your abilities.
Can you imagine your life and future if you allow yourself to truly pursue your dreams?
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
1. "I Am" is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
True or False.
2. Will a person weigh slightly less when the moon is directly overhead?
Yes or No.
3. Minus 40 degrees Celsius = 40 degrees Fahrenheit
True or False.
4. Can eating chocolate kill dogs?
Yes or No.
5. "Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.
True or False.
6. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.
True or False.
7. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common?
Hint: you see them everywhere.
Answers to Fun Facts
1. True.
2. Yes, this is true, as per the calculation it is said that a person will weigh 0.48g lighter for a 100kg person. When the moon is directly overhead,
they are going to weigh 0.5g lighter as the moon attracts you in the same way as it attracts water when the water makes tides.
3. True. Celsius and Fahrenheit are two different temperature scales that intersect at one point; so are equal at -40 °C and -40 °F.
4. Chocolate consists of an ingredient called theobromine (similar to caffeine) that is toxic to dogs. Dogs are not capable of breaking it down or
metabolizing the bromine as humans. The bromine majorly affects a dog’s central nervous system, heart and kidneys.
5. Without using any vowel letter, the longest English word can be formed is a seven letter word – ‘R h y t h m’.
6. True, if you block the pressure of the sneeze, it can cause a rupture of the eardrums, irritation of the throat and in worst cases, rupture blood
vessels in your brain or eyes or fracture a rib.
7. The only common thing is that all were invented by women.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Good Reads
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée
Ages 10-12
Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh,
and she’d also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn
to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.)
But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her
best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. And
Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her.
After experiencing a powerful protest, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking and
starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon
everyone is taking sides, and she is given an ultimatum.
Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fear,
she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real.
Tensions are high over the trial of a police officer who shot an unarmed Black man. When the officer is set free, and
Shay goes with her family to a silent protest, she starts to see that some trouble is worth making.
Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys
Ages 13+
Lolo Wright always thought she was just a regular fourteen-year-old dealing with
regular family drama: her brother, James, is struggling with his studies; her dad’s
business constantly teeters on the edge of trouble; and her mother . . . she left long
ago. But then Lolo’s world explodes when a cop pulls a gun on James in a dangerous
case of mistaken identity. Staring down the barrel, Lolo discovers powers she never
knew she had. Using only her mind, she literally throws the cop out of the way.
The problem now is that Skin, a dangerous dealer, hears of Lolo’s telekinetic abilities.
Skin is willing to do whatever it takes to get Lolo in his crew, but Lolo’s not willing to let
him use her to hurt the people—and neighborhood—that she loves. It’s going to take a
whole different kind of bravery to stand up for what’s right, especially after Lolo’s mom
returns suddenly and turns Lolo’s whole world upside-down. For too long, it’s true,
Lolo’s had her head in the clouds, but this time, it’s on her . . . and she’s not backing
down.
Girl on Fire is a young adult graphic novel about a girl who’s a flame. It’s the first-ever graphic novel from beloved
GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Alicia Keys, co-written by Andrew Weiner and illustrated by Brittney Williams.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Dare To Be First… and Use Your Voice!
The first African American and the first woman to deliver a keynote address at a Democratic
National Convention.
Barbara Jordan: Lawyer, Politician, and University Professor
Born in 1936, in Houston, Texas to a teacher and Baptist preacher, Barbara dared to
use her education, confidence and voice to make an impact in the U.S. government.
A Career Day speech at her segregated high school given by lawyer Edith Sampson,
the first Black American delegate to the United Nations, inspired Jordan to become an
attorney. Before entering politics, she taught political science at the Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama. After unsuccessfully running for the Texas House of
Representatives in 1962 and 1964, she was elected to the Texas State Senate in 1966.
To say that her election was exceptional is an understatement: In 1972, she became
the first Black woman elected to the Texas State Senate, and the last time a Black
person had been elected to that office was nearly a century earlier (in 1883).
Also, in 1972 - the same year that Shirley Chisholm ran for President -
Jordan was elected to the US House of Representatives. She became the
first African American in the 20 th century to be elected to Congress from the
South. During Jordan’s time in office, she served on various committees
and helped pass the state’s first minimum wage law and was instrumental
in creating its Fair Employment Practices Commission.
She was a well-liked and effective legislator with a prominent voice who earned the respect of some very racist white
colleagues. Although she had a non-combative style, it did not mean she shied from speaking truth to power. Her
impressive oratory skills earned her acclaim in Congress during the waning days of the Nixon Administration. There, she
took to the floor of Congress and delivered a stirring address to demand that the country’s elected officials do what
was right and impeach the president. In 1976, she delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National
Convention.
Words of Wisdom: “Education remains the key to both economic and political empowerment.”
Reflection: Failure and determination are inevitable steppingstones along the road to success.
How will you prepare to overcome the odds?
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Meet AOC
The youngest woman and the youngest Latina ever to serve in the United States Congress
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Democratic Congresswoman
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, is a trailblazing American politician,
activist, and a member of the congressional bloc referred to as, "The Squad". Her
skillful use of social media platforms allows her to connect directly with young voters
to make a powerful difference in the communities that she represents.
Born in the Parkchester neighborhood of The Bronx,
Alexandria’s parents, Puerto Rican descendants, moved
their family to the Yorktown area of Westchester in
search of a stronger public school for her and her brother.
During her regular visits to family in the Bronx, she
noticed the stark contrast in educational opportunities available to her compared to her
cousins based on their respective zip codes. When her father suddenly passed away
from cancer, the medical bills and other growing expenses placed their home at risk of foreclosure. Although
Alexandria worked extra shifts as a waitress and bartender to support her family, she became acutely aware of the
issues impacting working-class people. This realization deepened her commitment to activism and the need to
fearlessly challenge existing policies.
Taking office at age 29, in January of 2019, Representative Ocasio-
Cortez was sworn-in as the youngest woman and youngest Latina ever to
serve in Congress. Her first piece of legislation was a 10-year
national program designed to put millions to work in good-paying,
union jobs repairing the nation’s infrastructure, reducing air and water
pollution, and fighting the intertwined economic, social, racial and
climate crises crippling the country.
Words of Wisdom:
“Mentors of mine were under a big pressure
to minimize their femininity to make it. I'm not
going to do that. That takes away my power.
I'M NOT GOING TO COMPROMISE
WHO I AM.”
Reflection: How will you use your power to make a difference? And how will you ensure that you do not
compromise who you are and stay true to your values and yourself?
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
G-DEP Activities
Growth. Development. Education. Preparedness.
Values
What matters most to you? The girls sorted out the sets of values and decided on their top five. What do you value
and how do your values show up in your everyday life?
Family, friendship and trust were among the top three values.
Setting Smart Goals
Facilitator Maxine Woodhouse is adept at guiding the girls as
they set SMART goals - because as Benjamin Franklin told us,
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Maxine is a speech and language pathologist, and currently
works at NYC DOE teaching speech improvement techniques
to children. She enjoys helping youth navigate through
problems and build confidence in their communication skills.
Maxine loves being in nature, spending time with her dog or
exploring a new city.
Healthy Versus Unhealthy Relationships
Our young scholars identified key characteristics of healthy
versus unhealthy relationships that will help them continue
to develop skills for effective communication, conflict
resolution, and recognize the importance of mutual respect
and support in fostering positive interactions with peers and
adults.
If you or someone you know needs help navigating a
relationship, please contact OneLove (onelove.org) or call
the Domestic Violence Hotline, 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233. You
can also call a Peer Advocate at 1-866-331-9474 or text
“LOVEIS” to 22522 for an immediate response.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Mentee Highlights
Daija: Full Scholarship to Music Conservatory
Our own Daija is an aspiring singer and actress. This past August, she visited the
Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC, and performed her reedition of the
song, Once Upon A Time. Daija recently received a full scholarship from the Music
Conservatory of Westchester. Watch out Broadway!
Kaylah: Community Service
As part of her community service, Kaylah is giving back by volunteering at the Annual Holiday Underneath Clothes
and Toy Donations sponsored by Theodore D. Young Community Center (TDYCC). The donations were collected
and distributed for infants and youth.
Special thank you to Joan Edwards-Acuna, Kaylah’s mentor,
and coordinator, Monique Gadson, of TDYCC.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”

G.O.O.D. News
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 1:3
Save the Dates
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Visionary Women: Learning, Leading and Lifting!
Scan the QR Code to register.
Financial Aid for College
It’s never too early to start planning for financing your child’s college experience.
NOW is the time to explore and secure funding options. This workshop will be offered at the Career Expo.
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Girls Leadership Summit
We greatly appreciate all the women, mentors and GfG supporters who take time to invest,
nurture and inspire girls to reach beyond the stars!
Visit our website at www.goodforgirlsinc.org for additional information
as we get closer to the event dates.
“Mentoring young girls into confident young women!”