This Summer Teen Girls Go Corporate For A Change

Eleven teenage girls will begin a prestigious internship at Juniper Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:JNPR), the leader in high-performance networking. The internship is a new initiative by Girls for a ChangeTM (GFC), a national organization that empowers thousands of teen girls to create and lead social change in their communities. Through this partnership, participating GFC members and Juniper Networks employees will work together on leadership training projects, professional networking, critical thinking and problem-solving, to prepare these young women for the professional environment.

“Girls for a Change has done a phenomenal job to help smart, young women in Silicon Valley develop their confidence and realize their full potential throughout the community,” said Scott Kriens, chief executive officer, Juniper Networks. “These women are a powerful and unique resource and given the opportunity they will create large-scale social change. It’s an honor to have these young women lend their creative energy to our summer program and Juniper Networks is committed to supporting their success.”

The new Juniper Networks interns come from diverse backgrounds and cities throughout the Bay Area. Many of the girls come from lower income neighborhoods and have made the active choice to work with GFC to create a positive impact not only for themselves, but also for their communities. They were chosen on the basis of their participation with GFC, their enthusiasm for creating social change in their community and the extent in which they are able to inspire others to do the same.

“A lot of my friends are working retail jobs over the summer, or helping their parents. It’s weird to think that I’ll work in an office, which is really cool,” said Laura Damien, student, Mountain View High School, Girls For A Change. “I’m thrilled about the opportunity and the experience that I have at Juniper Networks. I will carry these learning experiences and tools with me for the rest of my life. I know they will only help me to become a more conscientious and powerful individual who can continue to bring social change to my community.”

“We are extremely gracious and honored that Juniper Networks opened their doors for these young ladies to learn and thrive,” said Whitney Smith, co-chief executive officer, Girls For A Change. “This is a wonderful opportunity for these girls to have a life-changing learning experience. And it will do more than that, because our girls will take their experiences home with them to share their stories and newfound knowledge with their friends and family.”