Ask The Experts: Sheri Homany

Q: How does an all-girls education help girls find their voices?

A: “Listening and responding to what girls need is what we do best. We established our Science Research and Engineering Program because our girls were asking for experience in labs,” says Sheri Homany, associate head of school for Hathaway Brown. “An all-girls school helps young women get out their voice in a supportive environment that allows risk-taking and failure and growing from that failure. We really celebrate sisterhood. A lot of girls’ education is very relationship-based, so we really pride ourselves in cultivating those relationships. There is this constant message that girls can do it all. It becomes the norm to see women in leadership positions. You get to practice those skills, so that when they are beyond [high school] they have a strong, confident voice and know how to use it.”