Officials have relied primarily on word of mouth to attract mentors, most of whom live or work in the Alexandria area. Volunteers are always needed, particularly minorities, to work with the girls, they said.
Since the program's inception, 27 girls have successfully completed it -- another 15 are enrolled in this year's program -- affording them a chance to boost their self-esteem and achieve their goals.
At the end of each Space of Her Own (SOHO) class, participants gather in a circle to discuss what they liked about that night's class and to learn everyone's name. The program is for at-risk girls ages 12 to 14.
(Photos Len Spoden For The Washington Post)
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And let's not forget about the bedroom.
During the sessions, the girls work with instructors such as Prince to make decorated papier-mache masks, wooden "dream" chests, decorated "ya-ya" chairs, floor cloths and lampshades.
All of the personalized items will be used in their refurbished bedrooms, along with new items purchased with a $250 stipend for each girl's room.
Program officials said the concept is so appealing to the girls -- many of whom reside in clothes-strewn bedrooms, use garbage bags as dressers and in some cases sleep without mattresses -- that this year's class is over capacity.
While the bedroom is clearly the hook, officials said they expect the program to foster changes in the girls' behavior and skills, with the target of keeping at least 80 percent of the girls from using drugs or alcohol or committing an act of physical violence for one year after the program ends. Of the 27 girls who have completed the program, officials say, only two wound up back in the court system: one arrested for burglary, another picked up for shoplifting.
"Those are pretty good statistics," said Odell, noting that all of the girls have expressed an overall improvement in their perception of "where they stand in the community and how many people care about them."
Over the years, Stephanie Vides, 14, has been referred to a host of after-school programs for at-risk youth. She rejected them all.
"If I feel like someone is forcing me, I don't like it," said the bright young girl, who was quick to raise her hand every time Prince asked the group a question about the day's tasks.
While the seventh-grader has never been in serious trouble with the law, she has skipped a lot of classes and is getting some poor grades, even in science, the class she professes to like the most.
It was her interest in art that brought her around to SOHO.
Officials say the mentoring is just what a girl such as Stephanie needs to improve her focus and boost her self-esteem.
"I want to go to college but I'm not really that good" in school, Stephanie said. "I'm afraid that I'll do the same things and not get good grades."
