By age 14, girls’ confidence drops by nearly 30%, a decline during some of the most formative years of their lives. In Canton, Ohio, She Elevates is working to change that. Founded by nationally recognized keynote speaker and women's empowerment coach DeLores Pressley, this nonprofit is dedicated to empowering girls ages 8-15 with the confidence, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial mindset they need to succeed. Through hands-on experiences, programming, and mentorship, She Elevates helps girls see themselves as future CEOs and changemakers.
Building Confidence Year-Round: Programs That Shape Future Leaders
She Elevates runs year-round programs to build girls’ confidence and leadership skills. Its flagship offering, the She Elevates Academy, is a free, week-long summer program where girls learn to pitch ideas, manage money, and solve problems through hands-on business experience. Held July 14-19, 2025, at the One Center for Leadership, the Academy remains free thanks to community support. The organization also offers She Elevates Life, a 10-week after-school program focused on real-life skills like communication, financial literacy, and conflict resolution. This spring, it ran at Patrick Elementary and Heritage Christian School.
Spotlight: Local Girls with Big Dreams
From dog-walking ventures to custom jewelry lines and community service projects, the girls of She Elevates aren’t just dreaming, they’re doing. Each idea is a spark, and through the program’s blend of mentorship and real-world experience, those sparks ignite into powerful transformations.
Stacia entered the She Elevates Academy feeling nervous and hesitant to sit with someone new. By the end of the week, she had formed deep, lasting bonds with girls she called “sisters,” peers who believed in her and encouraged her growth. That same week, a once-soft-spoken girl stood tall to pitch her own skincare business, inspired by her dream of becoming a dermatologist. Later, she soaked up career insights from a female executive, gaining confidence with every exchange. These stories reflect what She Elevates does best - empowering girls to believe in themselves, lead boldly, and speak their truth into existence.
Why It Matters
In many underrepresented communities, girls have limited access to leadership and entrepreneurship programs, areas often missing from school curriculums. Early exposure to these skills builds confidence and sets the stage for future success. “When girls see women who look like them owning businesses and leading with confidence, they begin to believe they can do it too,” says She Elevates Founder DeLores Pressley. “We're not just teaching business. We're changing mindsets and shaping futures.”
Upcoming Event: She Elevates 2025 Gala & Awards
She Elevates is excited to be hosting its Annual Gala & Awards, taking place on October 9, 2025, from 5:30–8:00 PM at the Kent State Stark Conference Center. The evening will include a red-carpet arrival, dinner and dessert, an awards ceremony honoring women and girls making an impact in the community, and opportunities to support She Elevates programs through an auction and raffle. Proceeds from the event will support programming that helps girls ages 8–14 build confidence, leadership skills, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
How You Can Support the Movement
She Elevates relies on the support of a generous and engaged community to keep its programs free and accessible. There are many ways to get involved:
● Attend or sponsor the 2025 She Elevates Gala on Thursday, October 9, 2025 from 5:30–8:00 PM at the Kent State Stark Conference Center
● Donate to help fund programs and scholarships for girls in your community
● Sign up to mentor or volunteer and share your experience and expertise
To learn more about the above programs and events, visit http://www.sheelevates.org. Every CEO, every changemaker, and every confident leader started as a child with a spark. At She Elevates, we're fanning those sparks into flames of ambition, courage, and purpose. Because when you invest in a girl, you're investing in a future of possibility - for her, for Canton, and for the world.
Every confident leader started as a child with a spark — She Elevates turns those sparks into flames.