At this juncture in her illustrious career, Senator Snowe has placed her energies, and her legacy, on raising the confidence, aspirations, and leadership skills of high school girls across Maine.
The Institute launched in 2015 using Olympia’s compelling personal story and her historic career as the inspiration to create a meaningful leadership experience for 10th-12th grade girls. Supporting Olympia in this work is a broad and diverse group of successful women from all walks of life, as well as hundreds of corporate, individual, and foundation donors.
With this tremendous support, the Institute has designed a three-year, evidence-based program focused on the themes My Values (10th grade), My Voice (11th grade), and My Vision (12th grade). Each year offers an intensive one-day kick-off session in which all the girls hear from Olympia and other accomplished women, followed by monthly meetings with trained advisors, continued communication through a private online community, and a year end celebration for all.
The Institute’s first year used a beta model comprised of nearly fifty young women from the seven high schools that serve Androscoggin County. This group tested all three years of programming and graduated in 2018. 100% of the inaugural class reported an increase in confidence, among other outcomes.
In the Institute’s second year, it expanded to a statewide model, partnering with one school from each county and the initial seven schools from the beta group, while simultaneously introducing the “My Voice” program to the original seven beta schools.
The Institute continued its expansion and is currently partnered with 37 schools, serving more than 650 girls across all sixteen counties of Maine.
Participants in the program are 10th-12th grade girls who show great potential, but may not yet have experienced the opportunity to expand their views of their potential and the possibilities that exist for their futures, and for whom leadership skills may make a remarkable difference. Participants are required to actively engage in Institute programming for all three years.