What Is SmartGirl? | Letter from Isabel | Charter Membership | Legal Information | Library of Information | Privacy Policy | Inappropriate Content | History of the Site

SmartGirl.org is an online community of thousands of girls who anonymously share their opinions, hopes, concerns, and dreams with each other.

Girls express themselves on the website by writing reviews, sharing poetry and creative writing, completing surveys, and engaging in social science research using SmartGirl survey data.

By providing girls with an online community where they have ownership and control in a safe environment, we hope to attract more girls to engage with computers and information technology and to help bridge the digital divide.

SmartGirl was started in 1996 by Isabel Walcott who had the vision to create an online space for girls to express themselves. In 2001, the University of Michigan adopted her vision and over the past years has expanded the website in new, exciting, and educational ways. The website is currently run by the Women in Science & Engineering Program at the University.

Visitors to the site are generally girls between the ages of 11-17. They come from many countries around the world. We strive to create a welcoming environment for all of them.