Click here to see our 2008 recipient
Click here to see our 2007 recipient
Girl Talk is fortunate to have thousands of dedicated high school Leaders around the country who are making a difference in the lives of thousands of middle school girls every day. The rapid growth and success of Girl Talk can directly be attributed to these amazing young women. To honor these young women, Girl Talk has created the National Girl Talk Leader of the Year Award, given in honor of our Founding Sponsor, the Bell Family Foundation. This award is given each spring to the Girl Talk Leader who best exemplifies the mission and values of Girl Talk and its Founder, Haley Kilpatrick. To nominate yourself or another Girl Talk Leader to be this year’s National Girl Talk Leader of the Year, please fill out the Nomination Form and mail the complete application to us by March 15th.
This year’s recipients of the National Girl Talk Leader of the Year Award are Olivia Suda & Susan Lentz.
Olivia & Susan receiving their awards from Girl Talk founder, Haley Kilpatrick.
Olivia Suda
"I was inspired to start a Girl Talk Chapter in 2007 by my mom who saw an article about Girl Talk and Haley Kilpatrick in a magazine. I immediate approached my favorite chorus teacher and presented the idea of starting a Chapter at the local middle school in Alpharetta, Georgia. She was thrilled by the idea. We got my Girl Talk Chapter going the first semester of my Sophomore year and I am proud to say starting a Girl Talk Chapter was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Our first Girl Talk Chapter meeting only three girls showed up, three years later there are more than 40 girls involved in my Girl Talk Chapter.
I initially started my Chapter to give back to my community by mentoring. Little did I know, I would get more out of it than I gave. Girl Talk has made me a better person, a stronger leader and challenged me to “walk the walk and talk the talk”. I have created a lasting Girl Talk legacy at my school and could not be more proud of what I have accomplished through Girl Talk.
I am attending Georgia College and State University in the fall of 2010 and hope to continue to be involved in Girl Talk by starting and leading a Chapter in Milledgeville. I also plan to continue to volunteer as a Project Inside Out Counselor at Girl Talk Camp it keeps me inspired throughout the summer.
I am so thankful and humbled to be honored as one of Girl Talk’s 2010 National Leaders of the Year!"
Olivia in Action
Susan Lentz
"I am proud to say I have been a part of Girl Talk since the beginning. Haley started the first ever Girl Talk Chapter at my school in 2002 when I was in middle school. I fell in love with Girl Talk and all that it stands for and never missed a Girl Talk meeting. The summer before my 9th grade year, I talked to the headmaster at my new high school about starting a Girl Talk Chapter. He immediately was supportive and I started Leading my Girl Talk Chapter in Albany, Georgia in 2006. I graduated high school this year in 2010 and am proud to have been a Girl Talk Leader for all four years of high school. Girl Talk has impacted my life in so many ways, it has taught me how to be a better leader, follower, listener and most importantly to be the best role model I can.
I have also been involved in Project Inside Out (Girl Talk’s Camps) for two years as a camp Counselor. Being a Counselor was one of the best experiences of my life. I grew so much while being at camp, I left feeling empowered and ready to find new ways to give back to my community. "