Mission & History

Young Women on the Move 5001(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2005 to empower middle school and high school girls to live healthy lives filled with positive options. Our goal is to help girls discover their personal power and develop skills and behaviors that lead to healthier lifestyle choices that will help them navigate the challenging adolescent years and become healthy and emotionally resilient adults.

Mary Beth Gentry founded Young Women on the Move on the belief that young women in the urban core when given the tools and resources to expand their vision, could indeed achieve their potential in life and becoming the vital agents of change within their families and communities. This program is currently in four Kansas City, Kansas USD 500 schools -- Argentine Middle, Central Middle, Harmon High and Wyandotte High Schools. Collaborators include YouthFriends, the University of Kansas College of Education, KU School of Nursing’s KU Health Partners, UMKC’s School of Social Work, and the KU Community Health and Development program in the Department of Applied Behavioral Sciences.

A grant from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City for 2007-2008 has helped Young Women on the Move to address the alarming need for mental health and substance abuse problems identified within this population. To achieve our goal, YWOM is collaborating with local mental health provides including Wyandot Health Center (WHC) and school social work staff. The major mental and emotional health outcomes to be achieved are:

1. Improve self concept as a capable female and;
2. Improve attitudes and self-efficacy to:
   • deal with stressors in a nonviolent way
   • pursue a positive life plan
   • improve academic self-worth

The intense psychological, emotional and resource needs of the female student population at Wyandotte High School were the basis for a new partnership between the Wyandotte High School social worker and principal and Young Women on the Move. Since February 2008, an average of 25 high school girls attended the weekly Advocacy Sessions. Surveys revealed that the girl’s highest priorities of needs were finding a job, avoiding pregnancy and abusive relationships with boys, dysfunctional family relationships, stress and depression, negative attitude, communication and conflict resolution, and grades. Outcomes of our study will be posted in the coming weeks.

The Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City recently approved $90,000 to continue this mental health grant for 14 months beginning July 2008.