The focus of some clubs at VHS is easy to tell from their name:  the Spanish Club, the Marine Biology Club, the Stock Market Club  But what is the focus of the club that its members refer to as GLI?

The purpose of Girls Learn International (GLI) is to educate its members on the issues many women throughout the world face and come up with ways to help those women. The problems that are addressed range from wage inequality in the workplace to girls in some parts of the world being forced to marry at the age of 12 and never being given access to an education. The members of GLI watch videos from different parts of the world that focus on a different issue and have a conversation about what they can do to try to fix the problem.

Girls Learn International was established in 2003 by Lisa Alter and her two daughters, with the goal of the club being to show that people of any age could learn about global problems and work to come up with solutions to solve these problems. Girls Learn International gave United States students a voice to use about universal education for women.   

When asked about the importance of GLI, club leader Abby Bermeo says, “GLI is important because empowering women has the potential to solve every problem from war to crime to global warming.”

Another GLI member, Sara Sexton, says that “It’s important to me because I feel like I’ve learned a lot about how women around the world are suffering and what we can do to help.”

GLI at Verona High School is also just one small part of the bigger picture that is spreading throughout the country with over one hundred different groups of GLI clubs. The VHS GLI club is currently working with the clubs from Montclair and Glen Ridge to put on an event to raise money for girls in developing countries who do not have access to education.

If you want to contribute to helping girls have access to better education, GLI is having a sticker sale with the proceeds going to the Girls Learn International’s main headquarters;  they will send the money to build schools and supply materials for girls to learn.