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| Julie D'Amours and Amy Manhart |
Enough was enough. In the fall of 1995, middle school teacher Amy Manhart was on an Outward Bound Instructor's course and was tired of watching traditional roles unfold before her eyes. The men carried the ropes and the women washed the dishes. She herself was no better and shied away from map and compass skills, afraid of making mistakes in front of the group.
In the winter she read the book Reviving Ophelia, a book written by psychologist Mary Pipher chronicling the struggles girls face in today's society. Amy was heartbroken as she saw herself reflect the same insecurities she felt as a teenager. She decided when an opportunity created itself, she would fight to change these patterns and help adolescent girls face their insecurities now.
The opportunity presented itself when she met Julie D'Amours, an outdoor enthusiast and long-time Jackson Hole ski schoolteacher. Julie, like Amy, had spent lots of time with teenagers. The two approached the Jackson Hole Middle School and started an outdoor-oriented club for girls called Girls Actively Participating! (GAP!)
The club grew from eight girls in the eighth grade the first year to twenty the next and has continued to expand its mission and programming to all girls in the Jackson Hole Middle School. They did not want another girl to be defined by society instead of being defined by her own character.
In June 2004 GAP! established its 501(c) 3 status with nine women sitting on its board making decisions for the betterment of the program.
In 2007, the program celebrated a decade of services in the valley reaching over 400 girls since its inception and changing lives.
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