Imagine your grandmother wearing sparkly eye shadow, and singing and dancing with a bunch of teenagers until 1 a.m.  Not the typical Grandma, I know.

But this is what the leaders of The Girls’ Career Institute at Rutgers were like.

I had the honor to be selected in January to attend the CGI representing the Verona Women’s Club.  I was nominated because I was the vice president and am now president of the Juniorettes of Verona.  Each delegate is chosen on the basis of interest, community service, and participation in school activities. All of the costs were underwritten by my NJSFWC club which allowed me to spend four remarkable full days with women across New Jersey that are involved in their Women’s Club.

 “I love every single minute with these wonderful ladies,” says the director of GCI, SallyAnne Caranfa.  She has been directing it for six years now, and still grins from ear to ear when she thinks about the program.  Because the Women’s Club has been running GCI for 66 years, it has become a respectable program.

Being over the age of 60, the women who organize and operate the camp still manage to have more energy than most of the teenagers. These club women volunteer their time to act as housemothers for each wing, allowing the girls and the women to develop close relationships, and making the girls’ experience unforgettable. 

“Believe in Yourself” was this session’s theme. The women wanted the participants to establish confidence so that they could incorporate it into their lives positively to eventually “accomplish anything.” Sponsored by the NJSFWC, this club is made for high school junior girls to explore women’s issues and encourage awareness to contemporary problems.   

 “I wish they had a program like this for me when I was your age,” says Barbara Cook, a housemother. 

Not only is GCI a great way to develop relationships with others, it also is an amazing learning experience.  Workshops were held each morning to discuss occupations, give a feel for the workforce, and to have women describe what their jobs entail and require. Informational, helpful, and inspiring, each class shined different lights on the different jobs that are out there today. 

“Talent Night showed me that I can get up in front of a large crowd and sing” says Faith D’Isa, a junior at High Tech High School. During the week, there was a lot of stage involvement to boost confidence.  One night there was a fashion show, the next a talent night, and the last we performed skits. No matter who you were, you had to perform a skit which conveyed an inspiring message of some sort. 

This is where the housemothers got involved.  The girls incorporated them into their skit, whether it was through speaking, singing, or even through a complex dance routine. One even wore a bucket-full of sparkles over her eyelids to “fit-in” with the younger girls. Some girls brought their guitars, clothes they’ve sewn, or simply their voice. 

As much fun as we had during the night, we had to work during the day.

“If you don’t know where you are going, how do you know what to expect when you get there?” warned Carol Camerino, one of the many workshop lecturers.  She told her class how to uphold a “Professional Life in College,” by sharing her knowledge of being a career strategist and coach who specializes in helping job seekers in transition.  She mainly focuses on having women return to work after a significant time away, new grads and career changers. 

Other classes included an FBI workshop, classes in nursing, speech pathology, chiropractic medicine, and a “Women in the Media” course. 

The next time you see an older woman, do not judge her by her age.  When I begin adding on the years, I aspire to be like these joyful, lively women and role models.