Transforming lives and communities since 1993

Our Story

Three women smiling and talking to each other.

PEARLS began in 1993 as a volunteer effort to help girls in middle school develop social, emotional and practical skills that would prepare them to be empathetic, self-sufficient leaders. Now serving girls 5th through 12th grades, PEARLS supports girls as they wrestle with the upheavals of adolescence, interpersonal, educational and, in some cases, socioeconomic challenges.

 
PEARLS girl standing with a microphone, speaking in front of a group of girls.

PEARLS surrounds girls with positive role models, encouragement, high standards, hope, and support as they are empowered to make their own choices about their futures. The skills girls learn help them choose to complete high school, prepare for college or a career, and live out their version of success.

Where You Can Find Us

Find us in schools and neighborhood centers in and around Milwaukee and at our office on MLK Drive.

PEARLS girls on a field trip to learn about Wisconsin courts.

A Web of Support

We offer PEARLS groups at schools, neighborhood centers, and other youth-serving organizations’ sites. Our collaborations with the teachers, counselors, and staff at these site partners help us develop a network of care for girls and enables us to support other community initiatives that foster positive youth development.

Our team also serves on boards and committees throughout the community with public and private sector organizations to help foster what researchers have called “an ecology of youth” that can contribute to wide-scale, sustainable social change in Milwaukee.

 
Two PEARLS girls sitting in a classroom, drawing with markers on paper.

A Girls-First, Girl-Lead Approach

The most important people involved in our work are the girls we serve. Their voices and needs drive our program delivery. Rather than telling girls what they need, we help them learn to identify, articulate, and use resources to communicate their needs— then we work together to meet them. Girls hold themselves and one another accountable for behaving with high standards of responsibility, empathy, respect and awareness of others.

Group types and locations

We offer different types of groups to meet different needs:

Over the past nearly three decades of service, we’ve adapted to reach girls where they are in Milwaukee.

All girls, no matter the type of group, receive support, snacks, and activities that focus on our core areas: self-development, self-esteem building, building healthy relationships, social emotional learning, helping hands in the community, and college and career readiness.

We offer two types of groups: Traditional and In-House

Traditional Groups

  • Held at schools for students that attend those schools

  • Program Facilitations Teams visit that school once a week

  • Open groups are a subset of traditional groups and they are:

    • Open to ANY girl from any school

    • Held after school at Community Centers or at the PEARLS office

    • Have hybrid and virtual options now available

In-House Groups

  • In-House Program Coordinators are available to support girls Monday- Thursday at that school

  • Designated PEARLS safe-space at school site

  • Groups held throughout the school day

  • No transportation necessary

Are you interested in joining PEARLS?