This year, I took a leap. I started a chapter of Lean In Girls at my high school, a decision rooted in both frustration and hope.

Lean In Girls, an initiative launched by former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, is focused on helping girls embrace leadership, own their voice, and support each other in a world that often teaches them to play small. When I first read about the organization, something clicked. I’d spent years watching brilliant girls hesitate to raise their hands, downplay their ideas, or second-guess themselves in rooms where they were more than qualified to lead. I’d also experienced it myself.

I wanted to change that dynamic, at least in my small corner of the world.

Starting a club like Lean In Girls wasn’t just about printing flyers or scheduling meetings. It was about creating a space where girls could be unapologetically ambitious, vulnerable, curious, and bold. It meant rethinking what leadership looks like, not just speaking the loudest or holding a title, but asking hard questions, listening, lifting others up, and standing up for what matters.

Our first meetings were intimate but powerful. We tackled questions like: Why do we fear being called “bossy”? Why do girls hesitate to take credit for their ideas? How can we build confidence not just for ourselves, but for each other? Through activities, open discussions, and structured workshops developed by the Lean In Girls team, we began unlearning the limits we didn’t even know we were carrying.

One of the most meaningful moments for me was watching a younger student, usually quiet in class, lead a session on the power of vulnerability. She spoke about her fear of failure, and how that fear used to keep her from speaking up. When she finished, the room was silent, until it erupted in applause. That’s when I knew: the space we’d created was already doing the work.

Lean In Girls isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s about girls realizing they don’t need to shrink themselves to fit in, they can take up space, ask for what they need, and lead with courage. And leadership doesn’t have to wait until “someday.” We can start now, exactly as we are.

For me, starting this chapter wasn’t just an extracurricular, it was a declaration. That girls deserve more than permission to lead. They deserve the tools, the support, and the community to lead now. I’m proud of what we’ve built so far, and even more excited for what’s next.

Because leadership isn’t a position. It’s a practice. And thanks to Lean In Girls, we’re just getting started.