GIRL TEE VEE, A PROGRAM OF THE GIRLS CENTER

Girl Tee Vee is a program at The Girls Center in Walpole, Massachusetts. The Girls Center is a community-based, self-actualization and leadership development program for young adolescent girls. The Center works to engender personal and social change to create a safer and more empowering community for young girls. They work to achieve this goal through activities and projects as well as through community outreach and education.

Girl Tee Vee has been exceptional in this regard demonstrated by how these young women have worked diligently to educate and reach out to the Walpole Community over the past four years. They have created and produced a community access television show since they were 12 and 13 years old. They are currently in high school and are working with a group of middle school students so that the community service will continue. The shows have educated the community about issues facing girls, decision-making skills, and the importance of higher education and the problems of under-age drinking. The girls were contacted and paid by the Walpole Police Department to work on the under age drinking project, and have worked to educate themselves as well as the middle school students on this issue that faces almost all youth.

Girl Tee Vee not only works with youth, but they are also developing a project that will work with the elders in the community. They will be compiling materials for and putting together material and memorabilia as part of a project with a local elder community, entitled “The Video Quilt.” They will compile footage of elders reminiscing about their lives and talking about objects and events that have created the stories and meanings of their lives. This video will serve as educational material for children throughout the school system of Walpole and surrounding communities.

These young women have provided services across the life cycle with intelligence, creativity and warmth. Their talents and services have not gone unnoticed. They were the recipients of the Women in Cable Award in 1998 for their outstanding achievements. They have worked hard and without pay for four years serving and educating the Walpole community.

The original founders of Girl Tee Vee are: Jessica Cataldo, Julie Cunniff, Jessica Riu, and Lindsey Taylor. The Girl Tee Vee tradition continues with: Judi Bisceglia, Kasey Duncan, Alana Goldstein, Megan Hughes, Laura Milot, Morgan Randall, Stephanie Rose, Kayla Soutwick, and Kathy Thibodeau.