Who are the Circle girls?

The girls who are referred to the Circle Program are ages 9 through 11 and live in the Plymouth, Laconia, Concord and Lebanon areas. They are referred to the program by teachers, guidance counselors and social service agencies. Most of the girls are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The Circle girls are bright, smart, talented kids with tremendous potential who need better opportunities to develop that potential.

Who are the Circle mentors?

The women who volunteer to be mentors for the Circle Program come from all walks of life and range in age from 22 to 75. They are professionals, students, mothers, and grandmothers with a wide range of skills, talents and interests. What they all have in common is the desire to offer their friendship and make a difference in the life of a girl.

How was the Circle Program started?

The Circle Program was founded in 1993 by trustees of Camp Onaway. The trustees wanted to provide a camp experience to disadvantaged girls in New Hampshire but recognized the need for year-round support. They modeled the Circle Program after the Mayhew Program for boys and combined a residential summer camp experience with year round one-to-one mentoring. For several years, the Circle Program held its camp session at Onaway. Since the Circle Program was started, the staff, alumni, parents and campers of Onaway have provided generous support and continuous inspiration.

How can I help?

There are lots of ways to be involved with the Circle Program! We are always looking for women who would like to volunteer as mentors. Being a mentor is a worthwhile and rewarding activity, so let us know if you might be interested. If you have a special skill or talent, why not share it with the girls in the Graduate Program? These middle and high school aged girls enjoy learning new things that could open doors to their futures. If you’d like to help out at our new camp, we still have projects that need to be completed and would welcome your help. Of course, we are always in need of financial support, so making a gift to the Circle Program is a terrific way of helping the program and supporting our girls.