The Perfect Blend offers leadership training for girls

Goal is creating confidence, education success

NEW HAVEN >> Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball was the inspiration behind Jeanette Sykes forming The Perfect Blend.

After viewing the ball on national TV in 2006, which was then a three-day celebration held by Winfrey honoring 25 African-American women in art, entertainment and civil rights, Sykes picked up the baton and thought it would be beneficial to create a similar model in the city.

“We wanted to bring this concept to our community by connecting young women with leadership and to show support for older professional women as a way to support young girls and help them plan for their career goals,” said Sykes, 61, a transition service coordinator for Pathways Academy in East Haven.

“Learning people’s life history and why they do what they do and to be inspired and passionate about what they do — we thought it would benefit young girls of color,” she said. “It also gives us an opportunity to honor professional women who have opened the door and have been pioneers for us.”

The Perfect Blend is a nonprofit organization, established in 2007 with the aim of mentoring young girls in middle and high schools from urban communities. The organization’s Youth Leadership Program is a key component of Sykes’ work and is designed to promote development of leadership skills through twice-a-month workshops, projects, and activities for empowering young leaders from surrounding towns.

Some of the objectives of the program also are geared toward increasing community awareness, empowering youth through civic engagement and increasing awareness of multi-generational contributions and challenges.

Each aspect of the program challenges young girls to innovate, reflect and share dialogue about the role of leadership and the team culture that a leader creates, according to the organization’s website. The program runs from September though May.