NAPPANEE — Local Boys & Girls Clubs have implemented programs to allow girls to be — unselfconsciously — girls.

But not just any girls. Health-conscious girls with self-esteem and problem solving skills. Girls who are kind and care for one another. And girls with goals.

The Girls in Focus initiative is under way at all four Boys & Girls Clubs — Goshen, Nappanee, Middlebury and Elkhart.

In January, club officials brought together key female community members to participate in the launch of the program. A Girls in Focus Summit was held in Elkhart in March, with community members, club staff and members of the media in attendance.

After the joint summit, the staff at each club tailored programming for girls that met the unique needs of each community.

The goal, said Nappanee Associate Executive Director Holly Yoder, is not to exclude boys or reduce any programming directed at both genders.

“We are here for boys and girls,” said Yoder, who coordinates the Girls in Focus program.

She said the Girls in Focus programs are designed to fill voids that were revealed when the girls at all clubs completed surveys on different issues.

The survey given in February indicated that among female club members, 89 percent don’t know what to do when they are mad or sad and 44 percent have no male role models in their lives. The top stressors were identified as relational issues with boys and/or parents, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure and school issues.

But the survey also indicated the girls do have hopes, dreams and goals. Basketball, law, marine biology, teaching, ballet, forestry, medicine, contracting, veterinary, teaching and medicine are just a sampling of the career goals the girls expressed.

Yoder said the program is designed to help girls grow to meet their goals. Collaborators came up with programming that included bully prevention, healthy food choices, exercise, etiquette, cautions for Facebook and texting, personal finances, car maintenance (a program given by a female mechanic), girls-only discussion groups and other social activities for girls only.

At the Nappanee club, girls-only volleyball, girls-only gym time and girls-only cooking were implemented. Janet Nevills, owner and instructor of Ladies Fitness Zone in LaPorte spent a day teaching the girls about healthy body image, good food and snack choices and that exercise can be fun. Girls also were treated to facials.

Club member Karina Bauer, 10, said she loves the programs, especially cooking and art.

“It’s fun hanging out with girls only, not so much rowdy boys,” she said.

Bauer said she learned a lot about what kind of snacks are healthy in the Fitness Zone class.

“If you eat king size,” she said, “it can make you king size.”

A self-defense class led by a Nappanee police officer is on the horizon and girls-only art time was also started.

This past Tuesday, the girls were making flower pencils, which were then used to write out their goals. One young lady wanted to be a model or a spy.

“There is a comfort level there,” Yoder said of the girls-only programs. “They are able to be more expressive.”

Art Director Brittney Lafferty said she also sees the girls participate more freely and express themselves more.

“When it is just girls, they like to sing.” she said. “(Recently) we took turns singing their favorite songs.”

The art class focuses on being creative — finding things around the house to recycle into art.

“We also try to do things to build friendships,” Lafferty said.

One partner activity was to take miscellaneous mystery items from a bag and create something artistic.

“Relationship-building is very important,” Lafferty said.

Yoder said the programs were designed by staff to create a sense of camaraderie in girls.

“We want girls to learn to be kind to each other — to build that rapport at a young age,” Yoder said. “You know, things are hard enough and to not have good friendships or support can make life difficult.”