Perry High offers a multitude of clubs, surely one for just about everyone. So why feature She’s the First? Who is she?

The club has quickly accumulated a fairly large amount of club goers, there is something else that sets them apart from every other club on campus. For starters, She’s the First, STF for short, is a chapter.

For those confused as to what a chapter is, a chapter can be described as being part of a whole. It’s like the United States, all one country made up of individual states, except in this case the states would be chapters. STF is one of the many clubs that exist worldwide, like NHS.

Via this chapter’s Instagram page description, She’s the First is “A not-for-profit organization that sponsors girls’ education in low-income countries.” President and sophomore, Michelle Yoo believes “That every girl, no matter where they are, has the right to an education,” and goes on to say “The organization of She’s the First stands for the equality of education for all girls,” and “Is about supporting girls who are the first in their generation to graduate high school.”  

STF’s website lists some of the reasons as to what stops a girl from finishing school which includes: poverty, dangerous routes to school, the expansive costs of higher education and “Emphasis on early marriage and traditional roles.” All of which perpetuates a vicious cycle that will leave an uneducated impoverished girl to become an uneducated impoverished woman. However, said cycle can be broken by presenting these young ladies with equal opportunities through education.

As a whole STF’s objective is to give girls, who would be the first in their generation to graduate, a chance to have the opportunity to graduate, as well as making them the “Change agents who break the cycle of generational poverty and transform our world.” They accomplish their goals by providing: funds these girls need to graduate, mentors who have walked in the same shoes and understand their situation, and global leadership training for chapters.

After meeting with the president and the vice president, it was established that this chapter’s goal is to spread the word about the organization itself.

“I wanted to spread awareness ‘cause although I am not from a country where education isn’t prioritized, I am the first [girl] from my family to graduate high school [in the States],” said vice president and sophomore Titania Hoang. “I also want to spread awareness and I also want to build a community,” said Yoo who continued on with how she wanted to create a group “Where we share our values and have that environment.”

Perry’s chapter had brief meeting where the club officers were introduced and the planning of their fundraiser was discussed. Nothing has been cemented but the paperwork for the fundraiser is underway.

“We’re not sure on the amount [to raise] just yet but the money will go to STF and the main organization,” said Hoang, who also disclosed the money will most likely go towards conferences with other STF chapters in hopes of learning from their more experienced counterparts.