How GAP! began

In the fall of 1997, middle school teacher Amy Manhart and Julie D’Amours decided start an active club for girls. They were tired of watching traditional gender roles unfold before their eyes. Why do girls shy away from technical skills, afraid of making mistakes in front of a group?

The club grew from eight girls in the eighth grade the first year to twenty the next and has continued to expand its mission and programming to all girls in the Jackson Hole Middle School. They did not want another girl to be defined by society instead of being defined by her own character.

In June 2004, GAP! established its 501© 3 status with nine women sitting on its board making decisions for the betterment of the program.

In 2007, the program celebrated a decade of services in the valley reaching over 400 girls since its inception and changing lives.

2017 marked TWENTY YEARS of GAP!‘s important promotion of confident, competent, community minded women. The development of these three characteristics found in today’s most successful women, are what guide our meetings and propel our focus.

How it’s going

2025 GAP! has expanded their personal empowerment Elementary School programs (3rd – 5th) in seven schools across the valley: Jackson, Colter, Munger Mountain, Kelly, Wilson, Alta and Rendezvous Upper, offering a full school year.