Summer programs take girls to new heights: ‘Big Deborah’ transports adventurers

The following was originally published July 9, 2016.

Girls Inc. is widely known for its mission “Inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold.” But the Shelbyville/Shelby County Girls Inc. facility is taking the saying to a whole new level, hosting events and programs such as the I Can Van.

The I Can Van, which teens appropriately nicknamed “Big Deborah,” along with the teen summer program, is a fun opportunity where the teens of Girls Inc. (ages 13 and above) spent a week exploring “Finding Bigfoot, all things creepy, historical, and legendary.”

With destinations such as the Knight Ridge Observatory in Bloomington, Forest Hill Cemetery, and Acton campground, the girls learned relevant history as well as enjoyed time away from the normal routine.

Christine DeBaun, volunteer for the “I Can Van” and teen summer program, said that she thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the teens of Girls Inc.

“Great questions, great interest, great energy,” DeBaun said. “We always learn things together. I encourage everyone to volunteer with young people. They have so much to offer.”

Each week has a unique theme with a corresponding trip accompanying the program’s end. Some of the themes include Culture Shock, Blast to the Past, and Teens Give Back.

Amy Disney, teen coordinator for Girls Inc., shared her thoughts, saying that “the reason I like to work with teens is because there are never dull moments. We are always doing something fun and different. I like to think outside the box and they like to live outside the box, so it works.”

The teens of Girls Inc. have a full agenda for the summer, including field trips, and new experiences, which go hand in hand with the overall slogan for the Girls Inc. summer program, “new adventures, new friends, and new memories.”