Figure Skating in Harlem
Opportunity. Education. Empowerment.
The Need
Early adolescence is an important turning point for girls; during this period in life, many girls in New York City slip behind boys in academic test scores and jump ahead in terms of being at risk. Girls between the ages of 10 and 14 are more likely to commit suicide than boys in the same age bracket. They have a higher incidence of being infected with a sexually transmitted disease, and must immediately face their fate when confronted with teenage pregnancy. In addition, girls are increasingly at risk for obesity: in 1970, 1 in 21 girls were obese; today, that number is 1 in 6. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the chances of being overweight or obese are higher among racial and ethnic minorities (FSH's constituency), with the highest prevalence among African-American women.
85% of FSH students maintained at least B average, while 31% of FSH students earned straight A's.
After seven years, there are small seeds of self-confidence, leadership, responsibility, and self-determination that have been sown that I could not have done alone.
-Brigida LittlesFigure Skating in Harlem Parent