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Hey everyone! My name is Ines Renique and I am a senior at Notre Dame School, in New York, N.Y. I have been a part of Girl Up since last year when I started a club at my school with my two best friends.

It was hard work, but we were able to raise more than a $1,000 by hosting a series of events at our school from bake sales to a fashion show.

In addition to my involvement with Girl Up, I participate in a series of activities in my community. I volunteer at the Tepeyac Association in N.Y., a non-profit that helps immigrants who have just arrived to the United States. It was a great opportunity to see life from a different perspective.

Other things I love to do include traveling, reading and performing. I have been an ensemble member at TADA! Youth Theater since I was nine years old, and I was fortunate enough to serve as the assistant director for their last two productions.

This past summer I went to a Junior State of America (JSA) Summer School at Georgetown where I took a class on international relations. I learned so much, most of which is applicable to Girl Up. Furthermore, I am a member of the Drama Club and National Honor Society at my school.

What first sparked my desire to help girls were my visits abroad. My family is Peruvian and we travel to Peru every year. I have been able to see firsthand how poverty and lack of resources affect girls just like me.

Girls have the potential to do so much and Girl Up is helping them get there. It is the fact that we are all girls and we need to help each other out that drives my desire to make a change.

I am looking forward to this year and getting to work with all of the other Teen Advisors to make a difference in the world.