PORTLAND — When the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute was formed in 2015, the request to support its important mission and purpose was met quickly with affirmation and gratitude by Norway Savings Bank.

“We’re proud to be considered a founding member company by the Institute,” said Dan Walsh, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. “It’s an aspirational organization raising the confidence and resilience of high school girls throughout Maine. NSB is thrilled that it is able to offer ongoing support.”

That support grew by another $2,500 this month, pushing Norway Savings Bank’s overall contributions to the Institute to more than $25,000 since its inception.

Formed in 2015, the Institute is named after former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight terms before being elected to the Senate three times. Her remarkable career and personal journey have inspired Mainers for decades, with the latest chapter focused on imparting leadership skills to and providing a meaningful experience for young women.

“The Institute is immensely fortunate to have such a strong network of people who believe that our work will help more high school-aged girls develop and increase their confidence and leadership skills,” said Senator Snowe. “Not only are these young women acquiring the skills to be successful in their lives, but businesses and organizations are benefitting directly from their leadership as they graduate from the program and enter the workforce.”

“The Institute provided the foundation for skills that were instrumental in achieving my goals such as networking and interviewing,” said Taylor, a graduate of the Institute. “Moving forward, I will continue to utilize the knowledge and values gained through the Institute to achieve my professional goals.”

The program is rooted in the themes “My Values” (Grade 10), “My Voice” (Grade 11), and “My Vision” (Grade 12). It has grown from 45 girls in seven schools to close to 600 girls from 37 schools across all 16 of Maine’s counties. Each year offers an intensive one-day, kick-off session in which all the girls hear from Senator Snowe and other accomplished women, followed by monthly meetings with trained advisors, including team members from NSB, and continued communication through a private online community. Program monitoring has clearly shown that participants have an increase in confidence among many other promising results.

“The participants have stronger visions for their futures and a widespread network of support to help them reach their goals,” said Walsh. “Empowering future women leaders is such an important endeavor, and we’re all grateful for the extraordinary efforts and impact of the Institute.”

“With support from Norway Savings Bank and the Institute’s remarkable network, there is no height to which these young women cannot rise,” said Senator Snowe. “We are so grateful for the generous contributions and trust in our mission to empower these future leaders.”

For more information about the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, including ways in which you can offer support, visit www.snoweleadershipinstitute.org.

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