PEARLS programs are girls-only, safe-space gatherings that meet once weekly at local schools and youth serving organizations. PEARLS groups serves 20 to 25 girls. PEARLS addresses the interconnected issues of poverty, teen pregnancy, violence, and lack of educational attainment at their very roots, by working with girls during the critical teen years, when personal choices that are made can have lifelong consequences. PEARLS girls build leadership skills and character traits such as personal responsibility, empathy, awareness, leadership, and respect. Through PEARLS’ research-based curriculum and goal setting initiative, girls learn a process for setting, working toward, evaluating and reaching tangible goals. These are all skills essential to success in school, work and life. Additional program elements include ongoing academic support, community field trips, guest speakers, annual College Tour, volunteer Higher Education Coaches and many other unique components.