How to Encourage Girls' Schooling

The popularity of shows like "Hannah Montana" and "American Idol" have made a lot of young girls think they can make it in life without an education. It's getting tougher and tougher to encourage girls to stay in school.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Be a role model. Telling a girl to do what you say rather than to do what you do is a recipe for failure. If you did not stay in school, go back to finish your education. Take online courses to show how important you believe it is to be educated.
2. Find an anti-role model. Sometimes one situation or picture is worth a thousand words. Introduce the young girl to someone who chose the path of dropping out of school and clearly regretted it. One such conversation may be all that it takes to encourage her to stay in school.
3. Listen to the young girl's future plans. Many times young girls don't completely plan their future. If a girl does not want to continue her education, listen to her and find out what she is planning to do instead. Ask her to tell you her vision of what her life is going to be like. In a non-condescending way, point out areas where her plan would work better if she were better educated.
4. Pull out the big guns. If all else fails, pull out the "O" card. Watch the Oprah Winfrey show with her. Oprah Winfrey is the walking testimony as to why it's important for girls to stay in school and complete their education.

Tips & Warnings

• Illustrate to the young girl that she is the company she keeps. Surround her with positive, successful, educated and motivated people. These role models will serve to encourage her to continue her schooling.