OUR STORY
Young Women on the Move was founded in 2005 to teach middle school and high school youth the attitudes, behaviors, and skills necessary to lead a healthy life in every aspect. Its name symbolizes girls moving toward the future with healthy minds, bodies, and spirits that are focused on life’s possibilities. YWOM serves middle and high school youth in the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District and beyond.
School-based after-school and summer groups are led by trained facilitators and focus on self-development, strengths discovery, and building a healthy life in all respects—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health; relationships; academic success; college and career preparation; and financial literacy. Activities engage youth in decision making, teamwork, personal accountability, and motivation, building motivation, creativity, and hope. The Young Women on the Move Trailblazers mentoring program is active and accepting applications.
Starting in 2020, YWOM and partners collaborated to teach Love Notes Risk Avoidance Curriculum to about 1,250 youth annually in-school, after-school, and summer programs. Love Notes evidence-based workshops focus on the Success Sequence: setting meaningful life goals, attaining academic and career success, and building healthy and sustainable relationships. The curriculum helps youth to strengthen their self-advocacy skills, decision-making skills, and communication skills.
Today, YWOM enjoys the school district’s full endorsement as its mentoring program for girls. YWOM believes in the power of true collaboration to collectively impact our communities. In 2022-2023, YWOM partners include:
Unified Government Public Health Department & USD 500 School District - Love Notes Risk Avoidance Program
Armourdale Renewal Association - Summer Programming Collaboration
KCK Youth Opportunities Collaborative (KU ThrYve, YWOM, Heartland 180, and KC United).
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City – 2022 & 2023 (Summer)
Jack and Jill Foundation – Mentoring and Strengthening Families
Screen Sanity - START, Stand Together and Rethink Technology
Building Bridges KC, Behavioral & Mental Health Services
Madam President Camp - Leadership Training
Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA) - Personal Safety & Civic Engagement
Beloved Community Church - food pantry
We believe these girls are invaluable to our community
and it is our responsibility to ensure they have the opportunity to succeed
Our BOARD
Our dedicated Board of Directors has grown over the years, and we're proud of their commitment to empowering the young women in the Kansas City area, and helping spread our message throughout our community.
MARY BETH GENTRY
FOUNDER AND CEO
BOARD MEMBERS
Diana Moody, President Corporate Vice President, New York Life Insurance
Wil Anderson, Vice President
Vice President, BHC Civil Engineering
Grace Dorman, Treasurer
Senior Consulting Manager, Forvis Mazars
Jimmy K. Gentry, Secretary
Community Volunteer, Retired Dean, KU School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Krystal McFeders
Chief Public Information Officer, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, KS
William Braddock
Community Volunteer, Retired Vice President, Farmers Insurance
Dawn Rattan
Interim Executive Director, Downtown Shareholders of Kansas City Kansas; Board Trustee, Johnson County Community College
Christal Watson
Mayor, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS.
Nicholas Burton
Social Impact Manager, Valorem Reply
STAFF
Mary Beth Gentry
Founder and CEO
Jeanne Hayes, Ph.D.
Director of Federal Programs
Phyllis Crockett Barbosa
Administrative Assistant
Asia Upton
Program Director
Francisco Banuelos
Love Notes Program Manager
Jeni Zimmer
Love Notes Program Facilitator
Tara Hensley
Community & Youth Engagement Specialist
Bill McNeal Facilities