Inspire gets $10K from women’s group for student training

CHICO — Power of 100 Women, a local organization, has provided Inspire’s School of Arts and Sciences with $10,000 which is set to go to leadership training.

“I just want to express my gratitude for Power of 100 Women,” said Inspire Principal Becky Brown. “I think for the students that will now get to go on this trip, it will be a transformative experience for them.”

Brown said the training the students will receive will help them in college and other aspects of their lives down the road.

A press release issued Friday by the school said 20 students will be going to the Disney Imagination Campus leadership training with help from the new funding. The training aids in communication skills as well as critical thinking by applying the skills to real-life situations, the release said.

Brittney Hawkins, a teacher with Inspire, presented the trip before the organization.

“I am so excited for the opportunity for our students to experience professional development with this truly inspiring and innovative group,” Hawkins said. “Around half of our students are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and would not otherwise have the chance to travel to Disney Imagination Campus. We know that over half of graduating students in Chico stay in Chico, so the skills and work ethic they build will be folded into the seams of our community.”

Power of 100 Women meets quarterly and hears proposals from local organizations in need of funding. The group votes on which projects and programs to help fund. In this case, Hawkins, alongside Inspire senior Abbi Corso, presented the proposed leadership training.

Corso said in a statement with the press release that she’s looking forward to honing her skills in the training.

“Attending the Disney Imagineers Leadership Workshop will help expand my skills and abilities that I can apply in my future career as well as to better my community,” Corso said. “We are so grateful to the Power of 100 Women for developing this partnership with our student leaders. This will benefit not only us but will ripple through our community for years to come.”

The training is set to take place in Anaheim in March.