By Dena Patton | Girls Rule Foundation
It’s never been more important to equip our girls with the skill sets they need to thrive, especially when it comes to leadership and financial literacy. Unfortunately, many teen girls graduate high school and college without truly knowing how to manage or master their money.
Lacking financial literacy not only affects their personal stability and future but also has long-term consequences for our economy. Studies indicate only 52% of American women are financially literate, which means we’re sending girls into adulthood without the money skills to succeed. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As parents, educators and mentors, we can play a powerful role in shaping a girl’s financial confidence and readiness for the real world, starting long before high school graduation. Here are three ways to help girls build leadership and financial skills that last a lifetime.
Build financial confidence early
Financial confidence starts younger than you think. You don’t need a finance degree to teach your daughter about money — just honest conversations and everyday experiences. Talk about earning money through chores or part-time jobs, and show her that money is a tool for freedom, not fear. Help her manage her income and expenses with a written budget and talk about it often. Encourage her to save for something meaningful, like prom, a trip or a car. Saving can be tough. It's not instantly rewarding, but reaching a goal builds lifelong confidence.
Try the “Car Challenge” with your 12- to 14-year-old: open a savings account and have her save $100 a month until she is 16. That’s about $4,800. If you match it, she’ll have around $9,000 saved, and more importantly, you will have a daughter who’s built discipline, pride and financial skills that will serve her for life.
Teach leadership as a daily habit, not a title
Leadership is not about volume or titles. It is about responsibility, service and action. The teen years are the perfect time to build these skills and, in the process, create a standout resume that opens doors to scholarships and future opportunities.
One of the most underrated leadership skills for girls is self-advocacy — the ability to speak up, set boundaries and make bold choices. Encourage your daughter to use her voice, whether it’s at school, work, or the doctor’s office. And when she does, celebrate it. It reinforces that her voice matters.
During high school, help your daughter create and lead her own short- and long-term goals across academics, sports, work, health and finances. Leadership grows through action and service, whether it is by leading a school club, organizing a fundraiser or volunteering in the community. Remind her that depth matters more than quantity. A few meaningful experiences that shape her character are far more impactful than a long list of scattered activities.
In college, leadership might look like starting or joining a cause-based organization, pursuing internships aligned with her passions or becoming a resident adviser or mentor to another person, which teaches empathy and decision-making.
Every time she shows up with purpose, speaks up for herself or serves others, she strengthens her leadership muscle — no title required.
Seek out programs that reinforce these skill sets
Real growth happens when girls apply what they learn in real-life settings. That is why it’s essential to find programs that go beyond teaching leadership and financial literacy, and instead really encourage girls to practice these skill sets.
Organizations such as Girls Rule Foundation make practice a standard, seen through its 10th Annual Wings to Fly Summer Camp, a transformative, seven-day leadership and entrepreneurship camp in Sedona.
Girls not only leave camp inspired, equipped to lead and confident in their voice and leadership, but also practice these skill sets during hands-on activities like the pop-up restaurant challenge. They work together to build and operate a full restaurant — from concept to execution — serving over 100 guests in a one-night-only event on July 18. They’re also introduced to financial literacy through fun and practical simulations using "Monopoly money," where they learn to budget, earn, save and spend wisely.
Whatever empowering program parents choose, what matters most is giving girls opportunities to grow into their best selves.
Editor’s note: Dena Patton is co-founder and program creator of Girls Rule Foundation, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that offers financial literacy, confidence and leadership programs for teen girls. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
