Breakfast with Champions

Each year, the YWCA Women of Achievement honorees are interviewed, photographed and lauded for their many accomplishments. It’s a whirlwind tour that culminates in one of the honorees’ most important functions: to attend the annual YWCA Women of Achievement Breakfast with Champions. This yearly event brings together 20 fifth-grade girls—many of whom may be categorized as at-risk and all of whom have been identified as potential leaders. These students from Chandler, Glenwood, Piedmont, Ruffner and Watts elementary schools come to the YWCA and enjoy a delicious breakfast with the honorees and YWCA representatives.

At last week's Breakfast with Champions, Anita Casey, Kim Knopf and Lois Smith spoke to these girls about the challenges and difficulties that could have—but did not—prevent them from achieving their goals. The girls were then given the opportunity to tell us what they hope to achieve in the future. Some wanted to be lawyers. Others wanted to be doctors or teachers. We even had a few aspiring actresses and singers in our midst. Thanks to Steve Payne, each girl left with a framed professional photograph of herself with the honorees.

We thank our Women of Achievement for being such outstanding role models and we thank our Breakfast with Champions participants for reminding us of why it’s so important for girls—and women—to never stop striving for success.

Above: YWCA Executive Director Debby Weinstein talks to girls about their dreams and aspirations.