Built to Lead: How an all-girls environment shapes future leaders 

By Riley McGlynn, Class of 2028 at Notre Dame High School, Belmont 

During Women’s History Month, it is so important to recognize the impact that an all-girls environment has on women. 

“Support each other, and you have that support system behind you that girls would eventually rise up into higher positions in workplaces, sports, college, anything, the leadership area. So it’s just good to have a big family,” said senior Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez. 

Whether a person attends an all-girls school or works in an all-girls environment, it can lead to significant personal growth. All girls’ environments can lead to the empowerment of young women, inspiring them to work hard and reach high goals. 

“It’s just given me a more sense of … leadership that I can use going into college,” said Deetz-Rodriguez. 

While all girls’ environments lead to empowerment, they can also offer so much female representation. Young women looking at the community gathered around a female environment can make them so proud of their representation. 

“I hope that all girls experience lets you understand and helps you understand that to not be embarrassed, to not be shy, to raise your hand,” said Admissions Associate Carri Alegri ’96. 

All girls’ environments can often lead to advantages that many may not find in another environment. When you place yourself in this environment, it is easy to see the opportunities they open for young women. 

“People are really starting to understand the advantages, and maybe it’s not for everybody, but they are really starting to see that there’s so many possibilities and empowering about going to school, empowering young women,” said Alegri. 

A community focused on creating all-girls atmospheres can give women a place to grow and empower them to rise higher. These communities deserve recognition for the leaders and role models they create. 

This article was originally published in The Catalyst, the student newspaper at Notre Dame High School in Belmont, California, on March 25, 2026. It is reprinted with permission.