Our Story
GRO girl GRO - Gathering and Recreating Outdoors, girls learn to Give back, be Responsible, and take Ownership was "born" January 2023 when Dr. Jody Bartz, our Executive Director, was working for the Arizona Trail Association. She and her husband returned to Tucson in 2021 and after nearly 30 years in education (specifically, working with children, youth and young adults with disabilities and then teaching at the university level),
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Jody very purposefully stepped away from academia. She identified a huge need in Tucson for outdoor opportunities for girls and young women, and set out to create inclusive, research-based, best-practice programs that would empower ALL girls with outdoor skills, confidence, and leadership lessons that they can carry with them as they move forward.
What is GRO girl GRO? GRO girl GRO is about getting off our phones (other than to take pictures of our amazing adventures), leveling up our mountain biking skills, hiking, laughing, creating friendships, supporting each other, trying new things, trying hard things, not giving up, mentoring, giving back to our trails and community, learning from amazing business leaders in Pima County, and well, snacks. We love our snacks!
We are grateful to the Arizona Trail Association for creating space to refine programming from January 2023 - May 2024. We are proud to celebrate GRO girl GRO became it's own 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in May 2024! We are thrilled to grow our programs and community partners! Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed!