Hidden Gems: Meet Susan Schooner of Girls Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Schooner. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In my mid-forties, I was climbing the corporate ladder in the automotive industry. Having recently moved to Ann Arbor, I was looking for a way to give back to my community and enrich my life outside of work. 

I was interested in becoming a mentor to local girls and young women. Through Peace Neighborhood Center and the Women’s Center of Southeast Michigan, I was able to meet several middle school girls. I started working with a few social work interns from the University of Michigan as well as my close friends, and we all served as volunteers. 

These girls touched my soul, and nothing else mattered more to me. Thus, Girls Group was born. 

Our purpose was clear and remains our mission today. Girls Group empowers young women to achieve emotional and economic self-sufficiency by ensuring they graduate from high school and begin their college or career journeys. Participants are mentored by experienced staff and interns through year-round comprehensive programming focused on academic readiness, social/emotional life skills, financial education, and community service. 

When I started Girls Group 19 years ago, we were so small that I was able to become very close with the original group of participants. As I followed the girls along their journey and witnessed the reality of the obstacles they faced, I developed a stronger social justice mindset, which now guides our work. I also realized that I was drawn to these young women and this work as a way to heal the pain and longing from my own childhood. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
By the time I was 50, I had survived breast cancer three times. Throughout my diagnosis, treatment, surgeries, and other obstacles in life, I had never shed a tear. I grew up in a household where feelings were not okay, getting sick was not okay, and crying was definitely not okay. I had suppressed my emotions and didn’t know any differently. 

One day, I experienced an emotional breakthrough. I was helping facilitate a workshop at Girls Group. It was a mother-daughter program on puberty. Often, the girls and moms will begin the workshop rolling their eyes at each other and feeling uncomfortable. This was especially true on this day, as the topic was making many feel vulnerable. 

The main facilitator began to talk to the girls about how their breasts will change through puberty. I found myself secretly rolling my eyes, thinking Well, I don’t have those anymore because of breast cancer. Then we started talking about periods; I had had my ovaries removed since I had the breast cancer gene, so again I rolled my eyes, thinking Well, I don’t have periods anymore either. Then I noticed the girls and moms starting to sit closer to one another as they experienced a growing sense of intimacy between them that wasn’t there at the start of the program. I said to myself, well, my mom is dead, I won’t have any more of these moments with her. But then the sudden realization of that hit me: Yes, my mom is dead, but I actually never had an intimate moment like this with her. 

That’s when 50 years of suppressed feelings poured out of me. I sat on the floor in the corner of the room and started crying for the first time in my life. One of the moms left the circle to sit with me and to hold me. As I continued to cry, each mom in the room took turns sitting with me, holding me as I cried as I had never cried before. This went on for over two hours, and it changed my life forever. There was no turning back on finally feeling, owning, and expressing my emotions. I have learned that although feelings are terrifying, accessing them will open the world for you. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Girls Group. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Girls Group has a strong academic and career focus, but I think the glue that holds all of our programming together is the consistent messaging to the participants that says, “You’re special, you’re beautiful, you’re wonderful just the way you are, you are forgiven, you are loved, you can forgive, we’re here for you, and we can overcome this together.” I certainly didn’t feel this way as a child or young woman, and it has been healing for me to create a community that is based on this premise and belief. 

Coming from a background of accounting, I’m proud to say that we’re probably one of the most organized nonprofits around. On top of operating with endless beautiful spreadsheets, we blend in passion, creativity, emotion, and amazing people to make our mission happen. 

Girls Group has been a successful and vibrant nonprofit for 19 years. Currently, we serve over 700 girls and young women in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. We offer 20 weekly programs for middle and high school students within the schools and summer programs including overnight college visits. We also facilitate a Family Engagement Program, Saturday Programs, and Youth Leadership Council. Furthermore, we offer intensive College and Career Planning, as well as one-on-one mentoring and peer support for young women on their college and career journeys. 

Thus far, we’ve had 260 young women graduate from high school, some of whom are first-generation high school graduates. We’ve also had 54 young women — often first-generation college students — graduate from a four-year university, obtain an associate degree, or earn professional certification. Every single young woman who graduates high school and/or goes on to college is a role model for the next group of students. 

We appreciate all the love and encouragement we’ve received from our supporters and the community over these nearly two decades. We could not accomplish what we do without this passionate support, as well as the financial contributions that allow us to continue our mission’s work. We have an annual budget of $1.3 million, and low overhead. A high percentage of our funding supports our fourteen full-time, well-educated, and dedicated staff members. We also work with a dozen social work interns from the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, and Wayne State University. 

Although fundraising is paramount, “friend-raising” — learning and sharing our mission — is just as important for our cause. With awareness, we continue to influence a powerful paradigm shift. All young people have significant potential if we put the same love and attention into every student. This shift not only impacts each student, but also our entire community. 

There are all these talented, brilliant, and caring young people out there going unnoticed. When you provide them the same emotional and academic toolkits, they can be just as successful as other students who are more privileged. 

What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
In my 19 years of operating Girls Group, my life has been enriched beyond measure. In creating a loving community, I’ve found the love that I was searching for during my youth and young adulthood. Girls Group participants have shown me bravery, resilience, humor, acceptance, and love. 

Girls Group, as an organization, has proven that when you change the destiny of a young woman, you affect generations. I encourage you to find your truth, own your truth, speak your truth, and then help others do the same. 

To learn more about the inspiring activities and successes of Girls Group, please check out our beautiful website at www.GirlsGroup.org 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.girlsgroup.org
• Instagram: girlsgroupa2
• Facebook: @girlsgroupa2
• Twitter: @GirlsGroupA2
• Youtube: GirlsGroup Ann Arbor