Helping Girls Find Their True Genius: Endow Launches New Formation Program for Middle School Girls

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In a culture where young girls are increasingly burdened by anxiety, loneliness, and confusion about identity, one local ministry is offering a hopeful path forward — one rooted in truth, belonging and friendship.

This October, the Denver-based apostolate Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) launched the True Genius series, a two-book formation program designed to help middle school girls embrace their God-given dignity and discover the joy of authentic, Christ-centered friendships.

A Lifeline Amid the Mental Health Crisis

Middle school today can be a challenging landscape. Rates of anxiety, depression and even suicide among young girls have climbed sharply in recent years. In this environment, Endow’s new initiative offers a vital source of hope — helping girls encounter their identity not through social media or fleeting approval, but through the unchanging love of Christ.

“Faith-based small groups wrap middle school girls in a kind of protective armor — forged from belonging, prayer and trusted mentoring,” said Annette Bergeon, CEO of Endow. “In a culture that can wound and confuse, these circles give young hearts strength to stand firm, hope to press on and courage to become the joyful, confident women God created them to be — ready to set the world on fire.”

A Program Formed in Truth and Friendship

Rooted in the writings of Pope St. John Paul II, the True Genius series invites girls to encounter God’s plan for their lives and to recognize the “true genius” of their feminine gifts. The series includes two books — Defining Dignity and Forming Friendships — that can be used in classrooms, youth groups, retreats or parish programs.

• Defining Dignity helps girls understand who they are as daughters of God, created in his image and entrusted with purpose. Themes include the meaning of human dignity, the beauty of femininity and the ways culture and choices shape identity.

• Forming Friendships explores how virtue, forgiveness and trust form the foundation for enduring, Christ-centered relationships. Through stories of saints, guided discussions and prayer, girls learn that friendship is not only a gift but a calling.

“Belonging to a Christ-centered small group is one of the greatest supports for mental health,” said Terri Sue Monark, director of content at Endow. “Middle school girls need mentors who affirm their dignity and peers who encourage them in virtue. In the True Genius series, girls don’t just hear about their worth — they discover it through Scripture, examples from the saints, meaningful activities, honest discussions and friendships rooted in faith. This kind of formation deepens their relationship with Christ and gives them confidence, hope and resilience through life’s challenges.”

A Formation for the Whole Person

Each study contains six flexible sessions that integrate learning, conversation and prayer. Comprehensive leader guides offer practical tips, theological context and ideas for engaging parents — making it easy for parishes and schools to bring the program to life.

As one host, Suzy Younger, a parent and Marriage Preparation Coordinator at the University of Notre Dame, shared: “Middle school is a time when our young ladies are experiencing tremendous changes physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually. As our girls wade through these difficulties, they have real questions and need real answers. They need encouragement and formation in their inherent dignity and beauty and the opportunity to form the intentional, incarnate relationships that their hearts long for.”

Embracing the Feminine Genius

By forming both the mind and the heart, the True Genius series helps girls live out what Pope St. John Paul II called the “feminine genius” — the God-given capacity to reflect Christ’s love and truth through their unique gifts.

For Endow, the launch marks not only a milestone in its mission but a response to an urgent pastoral need: to remind young girls of who they are in God’s eyes.

The True Genius series is now available at endowgroups.org.