Her Turn Turns 2!
Kallie Theisen
Her Turn celebrates its second anniversary in February, and we’re kicking off the celebration by reflecting on the accomplishments of year two and dreaming of the possibilities of the years to come.
Local and National
Her Turn co-founders Tori Nelson and Myah Selland said the nonprofit took steps forward from year one to year two. Her Turn became more established in Brookings in 2023, with the organization even receiving national recognition.
Her Turn was honored at the Gatorade Player of the Year Awards as the 2023 Gatorade Community Grant Award Winner. The co-founders accepted the $25,000 grant at the award ceremony in Los Angeles.
“We were grateful to receive national recognition which will help us create a sustainable scholarship program within the Brookings community,” Nelson said. “Along with this recognition, we were fortunate to attend the ESPYs where we could witness firsthand the impact that sports can have for women everywhere.”
You Grow Girls
Nelson and Selland wanted to grow Her Turn in year two. The co-founders learned from the challenges they faced in their first year, and they made changes when necessary.
“We utilized a more detailed and convenient process for selecting our scholarship recipients, communicating with families, delivering gear bags, and transporting the girls to camp,” Nelson said.
The changes that Nelson and Selland implemented assisted the duo in growing Her Turn during year two. Her Turn provided 18 scholarships to local girls in 2023, which was double the amount of scholarships awarded in 2022.
In addition, Her Turn offered scholarships in five different sports.
“We were able to expand our scholarship program to five sports by adding softball and wrestling in addition to our existing sports of basketball, soccer and volleyball,” Selland said.
Volleyball was the most popular sport for Her Turn campers, with eight girls attending the camp. The soccer and basketball camps each had four attendees, and two girls attended the softball camp.
The 18 Her Turn scholarship recipients consisted of both new and returning campers. Six campers received Her Turn scholarships in 2022, and 12 campers were first-time scholarship recipients.
When asked about her favorite memory from the second year of Her Turn, Selland said she enjoyed seeing campers from the first summer return for year two.
“We got to see firsthand how the relationships they formed last year at camp had blossomed into lasting friendships,” Selland said. “The girls returned to camp more confident and with a greater sense of community than the year prior. It was so fun for us to see a glimpse into the many ways a Her Turn scholarship can impact a young girl.”
Ambassadors with the Assist
In order to keep up with the increased number of Her Turn campers, Nelson and Selland enlisted the help of other South Dakota State student-athletes.
“The Ambassador Program strengthens Her Turn’s presence on campus for years to come by adding passionate young women to our team,” Selland said.
The ambassadors assist the co-founders in communicating with the families of the scholarship recipients and creating promotional Her Turn content.
Nelson and Selland are so thankful for the ambassadors who volunteer their time to Her Turn, and they are grateful to donors who financially support the nonprofit. Her Turn achieved a successful second year because of the selflessness of so many people.
Year Three and Beyond
Nelson and Selland have big plans for what they want to accomplish during year three. One goal they have for this upcoming camp season is to increase the amount of scholarships awarded. The duo hopes to award at least 20 scholarships in 2024.
The co-founders also want to expand the Ambassador Program in 2024. Increasing the number of ambassadors will allow the camp season to run more smoothly.
Nelson and Selland have dreams for Her Turn that go beyond the next 365 days. The co-founders are driven to help as many young girls as possible in the years to come.
“Our main two goals include increasing our scholarship program to 30 total scholarships and expanding to local areas outside of Brookings,” Nelson said.
Nelson and Selland are excited for the opportunity to continue providing girls with the chance to participate in athletics, and they are thankful for the opportunities that Her Turn has provided them.
The co-founders want to thank everyone who has donated to Her Turn during the past two years, and they want to encourage people to donate during year three. If you are interested in donating, please click the donate button in the upper right corner.
