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GIRLS INC. OF GREATER MIAMI
Power Hour: The Next Chapter
A 4-Year Career Readiness Program for Miami's Girls
Research-Backed 5 E's Framework Portfolio Paid Internships Future-Ready
April 2026 · Team Planning Presentation · Confidential
A · ANCHOR
What We Built — and What's Missing
WHAT WORKED — 2025–26
  • Cross-school connection — girls loved meeting peers from other sites
  • Industry panelists validated and inspired at every session
  • Peer groups of ~6 were the ideal size
  • Hands-on activities, explicit instructions, and peer feedback worked
  • Slack as a digital resource hub
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE
  • Device access remains a barrier
  • Facilitators need a more structured approach
  • Missing one session = missing two (catch-up burden)
  • Between-session engagement drops off
  • No multi-year progression — girls experience one cycle and leave
Power Hour works. But it's a single experience, not a career-building journey.
What the Evidence Says
THE OPPORTUNITY
  • 33,910 professional/technical jobs by 2034
  • 26,118 healthcare positions by 2034
  • Miami #2 nationally for tech job growth
  • Senior tech roles: $121K-$141K median
THE GAP
  • Women earn 78c (55c Hispanic, 61c Black women)
  • Only 14% of girls in male CTE fields
  • 70% of employers: "lack of qualified candidates"
  • 1 in 5 women in Miami-Dade live in poverty
WHAT WORKS
  • CTE concentrators: 96% graduation rate (+10 pts)
  • Career Academies: +11% employment
  • SAFE framework: 0.22-0.35 effect sizes
  • Programs lacking SAFE: NO significant outcomes
78¢
Women earn on the dollar vs. white men
55¢ Hispanic   61¢ Black women
103,942
More credentialed adults Miami-Dade needs by 2040
30% Black & 40% Hispanic residents hold associate degrees+
+32%
Earnings boost from well-designed CTE
+10 pt graduation rate for CTE concentrators
2%
Of HS students have done an internship
Power Hour fills a gap almost no one else is
Source: Advance CTE 2024, Miami Tech Works 2024 Gap Analysis, FL Workforce Needs Study, Durlak & Weissberg, Opportunity Miami, US News 2024
The Program at a Glance
Everything the team needs to know in 60 seconds.
100
Girls enrolled
75 consistent attendees
4
Year program
Grades 9-12
7
Monthly sessions
November - May
FRAMEWORK
5 E's
Employability + Exposure + Exploration + Experience + Evolution. Research-backed. Two through-lines (E1 + E5) in every session.
VENUES
FIU + Barry University
FIU primary (Women & Gender Studies — possible free space). Barry for North Miami. Central, accessible, major road access.
LAUNCH
November 2026
Peer leaders onboarded Aug-Sep. Focus group before July. Curriculum finalized October. First internships: Summer 2027.
ACCESSIBILITY
Title 1 = Free
Open to all girls in Miami-Dade. Sliding scale for others. Under $1,500/student. Portfolio + digital badge she keeps forever.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
Not a one-time workshop. Not career day. A 4-year, portfolio-centered, research-backed progression that takes a girl from "I didn't know that was a job" to "I know exactly where I'm going" — with a paid internship, a professional network, and proof of who she is.
B · BRIDGE
The 5 E's: A Framework That Grows With Her
E1
EMPLOYABILITY
The 18 universal soft skills. Present in every session, every year. The through-line.
E2
EXPOSURE
See the full landscape. All 4 sectors, every year. You don't choose a path you haven't seen.
E3
EXPLORATION
Sample, test, choose with intention. Informational interviews, sector deep-dives, values clarification.
E4
EXPERIENCE
Sustained, applied learning. Capstone projects, Ambassador leadership, internships.
E5
EVOLUTION
The future-ready layer. Learning agility, AI fluency, adaptability, financial resilience, entrepreneurial thinking.
E1 and E5 are the two through-lines — present every session, every year.
E2 → E3 → E4 is the progression a girl follows based on her years in the program.
Shared Sessions. Differentiated Depth.
Every monthly session has one theme. All girls are in the room together. What each girl DOES with the content depends on her E-level — not her grade.
E-LevelYearsPostureWhat She Does
E2 EXPOSUREYear 1Curious observerSamples all sectors broadly. Skills-based resume. 2 informational interviews.
E3 EXPLORATIONYear 2Active investigatorChooses 1-2 sectors. Targeted resume. 5+ interviews. LinkedIn. Cover letter.
E4 EXPERIENCEYear 3PractitionerConcentrated in chosen sector. Industry-reviewed capstone. Mock interviews. Internship apps.
E4 PEAKYear 4LauncherReal-world application. Job-ready portfolio. Applications submitted. Enrolled or placed.
E-level = years in Power Hour. A junior who joins for the first time starts at E2. Every girl sees the landscape before she chooses a path.
Where Miami Is Headed — and Where Our Girls Fit
Healthcare & Life Sciences
+26,118
jobs by 2034
Many girls have family in healthcare support roles. We show them the higher-wage pathways they don't see: clinical research, health informatics, public health administration, biotech.
Technology & Innovation
$121K–$141K
senior role median salary
Miami ranks #2 for tech job growth — but 70-89% of tech roles are male. Deliberate counter-programming. Software, cybersecurity, data science, UX, fintech.
Professional & Business Services
+33,910
jobs by 2034 (largest growth)
Finance, consulting, marketing, legal, architecture, engineering. Broadens the frame beyond STEM. Connects to entrepreneurship and creative industries.
Creative & Social Impact
$4.6B
VC invested in Miami (2024)
Design, media, nonprofit, public policy, social enterprise. Honors girls whose passions cross boundaries. Most modern careers are interdisciplinary.
Girls are exposed to all four sectors every year. The E-level determines how deep she goes — not the calendar.
Source: Miami Tech Works 2024 Gap Analysis, FL DEO Occupational Projections, Advance CTE 2024
C · CHANGE
Every Session Is a Complete Experience
EVERY SESSION FOLLOWS THIS FORMAT
SEL Warm-Up
Identity, character, life skills
Career Content
Exposure + skill-building
Differentiated Activity
By year level
Portfolio Work
Every session = deliverable
E5 Thread
Future-ready layer
PHASE 1: FOUNDATION
Sessions 1-2 · Nov-Dec
Belonging first. Identity work, safe space norms, mentor matching, strengths inventory. Career awareness begins alongside SEL — not after it. HI Pre-Survey.
PHASE 2: DEVELOPMENT
Sessions 3-5 · Jan-Mar
SEL deepens while career content intensifies. Sector workshops, professional skills, mock interviews, portfolio building — all layered with character development and E5 throughout. HI Check-In at session 4.
PHASE 3: LAUNCH
Sessions 6-7 · Apr-May
Portfolio completion, peer coaching, public showcase. Growth narrative finalized. HI Post-Survey. Alumni induction. She leaves with proof.
Pre-Survey (S1) → Check-In (S4) → Post-Survey (S7) via HelloInsight + Empowerment Evaluation  |  SAFE framework (Durlak & Weissberg)
What a Session Actually Looks Like
Session 3 · January · Phase 2: Development · All year levels in one room
2:00
2:20
2:40
3:30
3:50
4:10
SEL WARM-UP · 20 min
"Values Auction" — girls bid on values (family, wealth, creativity, impact, freedom) with limited tokens. Debrief: "What did you fight for? Why?"
CHARACTER
IDENTITY
CAREER CONTENT · 20 min
T2 industry partner leads a healthcare sector workshop. "Day in the life" of a clinical research coordinator. Wage data. Pathways in vs. pathways up.
SECTOR
EXPOSURE
DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITY · 50 min
YEAR 1
Guided informational interview practice with T2 partner. Structured question template. Partner feedback.
YEAR 2
Self-directed interview with new T2 contact in their chosen sector. Write up and compare to Year 1 experience.
YEAR 3+
Run their own mock panel for Year 1 girls (teaching = mastery). Then capstone work with T2 mentor feedback.
PORTFOLIO WORK · 20 min
Year 1: Interview write-up + career cluster chart. Year 2: Sector-specific resume update. Year 3+: Capstone section + network map update.
EVERY GIRL
PRODUCES
E5 THREAD · 15 min
"This role didn't exist 10 years ago. What role in healthcare might exist in 10 years that doesn't today?" Small group brainstorm + AI tool demo.
ADAPTABILITY
AI FLUENCY
WRAP-UP · 15 min
Mixed year-level pairs share one takeaway. Growth narrative prompt: "What surprised me about myself today." Google Form exit ticket.
REFLECTION
COMMUNITY
The Portfolio Is the Spine
PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS
  • Resume (skills-based → job-ready)
  • Cover Letter
  • Personal Statement
  • LinkedIn Profile
  • Informational Interview Write-ups
  • Recommendation Letters
EVIDENCE OF GROWTH
  • Growth Narrative ("Who I was → who I am")
  • Network Map (social capital made visible)
  • Skill Evidence (recordings, employer feedback)
  • E5 Components (learning sprints, adaptability, financial plan, AI fluency)
By E4 Peak, she walks into any room with a complete professional package and proof of who she is.
E5: Preparing for a Future That Doesn't Exist Yet
These girls will work until 2070. The sectors we teach today may not exist. E5 builds the capacity to remain relevant.
L
Learning Agility
How to teach yourself something new. The skill of learning itself.
A
AI & Tech Fluency
Using AI as a collaborator, not a replacement. Every career will be AI-adjacent.
A
Adaptability
The world changes fast — and so will you. That's a strength, not a threat.
F
Financial Resilience
Compound interest, salary negotiation, benefits analysis. Fight the wage gap with literacy.
E
Entrepreneurial Thinking
How to create value and build from nothing. Not just for founders.
4-Tier Partner Model & Work-Based Learning
TIER 1
Collegiate Role Models
FIU + Barry students. Panels bridging HS to career. 1-2 sessions/yr.
TIER 2
Industry Partners
Workshop leaders. Capstone reviewers. Portfolio feedback. 2-4 sessions/yr.
TIER 3
Mentors
Matched by interest. Monthly meetings. Grows from guidance to professional reference.
TIER 4
Internship Providers
Paid placements. 15 hrs/wk (10 on-site + 5 w/ Girls Inc.). 10 placements/yr target.
Work-Based Learning by Year in Program
YearTypeStructure
Year 1Career exposurePanels, site visits, speakers via T1 + T2. Sees the landscape. No placement.
Year 2Micro-internships10-20 hr projects with T2/T4 partners. Single deliverable. Can be virtual.
Year 3Paid internship15 hrs/wk (10 on-site, 5 with Girls Inc.). Funded by Girls Inc. + industry partners. 10 placements target.
Year 4 (Senior)Light-touch + trackingContinued placement or job search support. Light touchpoints. Post-graduation outcome tracking.
Paid internships funded by Girls Inc. and/or industry partners. Virginia + Dyani own the employer pipeline. Kasidy preps the girls. Sarah secures funding.
Internship Pathway: Two Options
Paid internships are non-negotiable for equity. Target: 10 placements by summer 2027. Funded by Girls Inc. and/or industry partners.
OPTION A: SYIP FEEDER
$0
Cost to Girls Inc. for wages
Partner with M-DCPS + The Children's Trust. SYIP places 3,187 students at 974 worksites annually. Grant-funded. Power Hour girls arrive pre-trained with portfolios, professional skills, and sector clarity.
REQUIRES
Formal partnership with M-DCPS SYIP + The Children's Trust. Applications due May 1 annually. Girls must be enrolled in M-DCPS or charter schools.
OPTION B: GIRLS INC. DIRECT PIPELINE
$1,500
Per intern (5 weeks)
Girls Inc. builds own employer pipeline with T4 partners. $15/hr x 10 hrs/wk on-site + 5 hrs/wk with Girls Inc. For 10 interns = $15,000/summer. Funded by grants, corporate sponsors, or industry partners directly.
REQUIRES
5-10 committed T4 employer partners. Grant funding or corporate sponsorship. MOU template (legal review). Liability insurance confirmation.
Yr 1
Exposure only. ID T4 partners. Explore SYIP partnership.
Yr 2
Micro-internships. Secure funding. Formalize pipeline.
Yr 3
10 paid placements (summer '27). Evaluate.
Yr 4
Light touchpoints for seniors. Post-grad tracking.
Ref: M-DCPS SYIP (GetMyInterns.org) · CareerSource South FL Youth Services · Girls Inc. of Orange County externship model (127 placements, 98% outcomes) · FL child labor: max 30 hrs/wk school year, 8 hrs/day
Meet Mariah.
A first-generation Miami girl. Her mom works two jobs. No one in her family has a college degree. She heard about Power Hour from a friend at another school.
1
YEAR 1 · 9TH GRADE
"I didn't know that was a job."
She joins thinking she wants to be a nurse because that's what her tia does. Session 2, a data scientist from Baptist Health speaks. Mariah didn't know you could work in healthcare without touching patients. She writes her first resume — it's mostly school clubs and helping at her mom's job. That's enough. She's started.
2
YEAR 2 · 10TH GRADE
"I think I'm good at this."
She does 5 informational interviews across health data and tech. Her LinkedIn is live. Her mentor — a Latina UX researcher at a health startup — tells her she asks the right questions. In the adaptability exercise, she maps her skills and realizes they transfer everywhere. Her confidence shifts.
3
YEAR 3 · 11TH GRADE
"I'm building something real."
She's an Ambassador now — co-facilitating sessions for the new Year 1 girls. Her capstone: redesigning the patient intake process at a community clinic using design thinking. Her T2 partner reviews it. She interns that summer at Baptist Health's analytics team. Paid.
4
YEAR 4 · 12TH GRADE
"I know exactly where I'm going."
Future Ready Scholarship secured — tuition-free at MDC. Her growth narrative is her college essay. Her portfolio got her a second internship interview. She presents at showcase. Her mom cries. Mariah is the first in her family on a clear career path. She's an alumni founding member.
Who Owns What
Team MemberOwnership Area
Marlena Candelario RomeroProgram oversight and leadership (lead). Co-write curriculum. Co-own logistics/operations.
Kasidy BrownLead facilitator. Co-write curriculum. Dedicated program coordinator.
Sarah MaldonadoProgram design, budget, KPIs. Co-own logistics/operations.
Virginia Akar + Dyani RobertsMentor/partner comms. 4-tier partner recruitment. CEO funding strategy.
IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS
Anticipated Questions & Answers
"What's the total Year 1 budget?"
Target: under $1,500/student ($112K for 75). Includes staff time, venue (FIU in-kind), materials, HI license, peer leader stipends, devices. No internship costs Year 1. Full budget to be built with Virginia.
"Where do 100 girls come from?"
Girls Inc. has a 300-girl quota across programs. Power Hour targets 100 enrolled, 75 consistent attendees. School directory outreach across Miami-Dade. Peer leaders recruit at their schools. Title 1 students = free. Girls Inc. existing participant base. Focus group before July validates messaging.
"How do we hit our enrollment numbers?"
Target: 100 enrolled, 75 consistent (75% retention). Peer leaders recruit at their own schools. School directory for direct outreach. Girls Inc. existing pipeline + alumnae referrals. Sliding scale removes cost barrier. Title 1 = free. Focus group before July tests what resonates with current sophomores/juniors.
"How does the program contribute to Girls Inc.'s 300-girl quota?"
Power Hour's 100 enrolled participants count toward the org-wide 300-girl target. With 75 consistently attending, this single program delivers 25-33% of the quota. Year 2+ retention means returning girls carry forward, reducing recruitment burden each cycle.
"Monthly — won't girls fall behind if they miss one?"
The 2025-26 debrief showed biweekly = "missing one means missing two." Monthly reduces total sessions but each one is a complete experience. Between-session engagement (mentors, Slack, peer leaders) fills gaps. Portfolio is the catch-up mechanism — a girl can work on deliverables between sessions.
"What does Year 1 success look like — in numbers?"
75% average attendance. 70%+ portfolio completion. Statistically significant growth on HI Career Knowledge & Skills and Applied SEL constructs (pre vs. post). 80%+ of girls report "meaningful mentor relationship." 90%+ of girls can name 2+ career pathways of interest.
"When can we place girls in internships?"
Summer 2027. Year 1 sessions (Nov '26 - May '27) build the pipeline in parallel. T4 partner identification begins immediately. Two paths: SYIP feeder (free, apply by May '27) or Girls Inc. direct pipeline (10 placements, $15K). Girls arrive pre-trained with 7 months of portfolio + professional skill development behind them.
"What if key staff leave?"
Everything gets documented: session guides, facilitation templates, partner MOUs, evaluation protocols. The scope document is the program's institutional memory. Ambassador pipeline means program alumni can step into support roles. The design is in the system, not in any one person.
Foundation → Depth → Application → Launch
5 E's. All sectors. Every girl.
Girls Inc. of Greater Miami
Confidential Planning Document · April 2026