A press release: August 20, 2009

ALBANY, NY – Rachel Simmons, best-selling author and national expert on girls and bullying, will present a public lecture and a workshop for educators on Tuesday, October 6. Simmons authored “Odd Girl Out: the Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls,” the New York Times best seller based on interviews with 300 girls across the country on aggression and bullying. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, Dateline NBC, and NPR and this fall will be featured in a PBS special program.

The Women’s Fund of the Capital Region is bringing Simmons to the area day-long educational event aimed at helping girls who struggle with bullying. There will be two events open to the public. The evening lecture is at 7 p.m. at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for girls 18 and younger. Tickets may be purchased through the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall at 518-273-0038 or through the Women’s Fund website, www.womensfundcr.org. “The Women’s Fund is also making a limited number of tickets available at no cost to those who cannot afford to attend. School principals may request tickets for families in their district through our web site,” says Alicia Lasch, Women’s Fund Event Committee chair. Benita Zahn of WNYT will serve as emcee.

In the afternoon, a free after-school workshop will be presented for teachers, administrators, counselors and school-related professionals. The workshop is free, but space is limited and registration is required through the website, www.womensfundcr.org. It will be held at 4 p.m. at the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) headquarters, 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, in Latham.

“This program is important for girls in middle school and high school, as well as for their parents,” Lasch says. “Serious cases of bullying among girls, some with tragic results, have been highlighted by the national media in the recent past. Simmons will discuss aggression, cliques, and social manipulation, how to stop it, and how to change the dynamics that often lead to aggression and bullying,” she adds.

Key Bank/Key4Women is the gold sponsor of the program. Other sponsors include WMHT, The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Charitable Foundation, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, the School Administrators Association of New York State, Academy of Holy Names, The Albany Academies, and Emma Willard School. Additional support is provided by the Junior League of Albany, Kaplan Test Preparation and Admissions, and NYSUT.

The Women’s Fund of the Capital Region is a collaboration of The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region and the United Way of the Greater Capital Region. The Women’s Fund promotes the independence , growth, and self –determination of women and girls by supporting projects that create systemic change and move women and girls toward financial stability and independence. The Fund’s projects and grants serve Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties. For more information about The Women’s Fund visit www.womensfundcr.org. For more information about Rachel Simmons visit apbspeakers.com.