What is the Research Basis of the Vega Girls Project?

The underlying concept of the program is to increase the self-efficacy of the participants in the program. Vega Girls will increase their knowledge of available opportunities to pursue after high school, both in college tracks, and in career options.

School is accepted as an agency for cultivating self-efficacy. The program supports the development of skills and knowledge for current and future, and intends to impact career and college choices of the participants.

Research strongly suggests that beliefs about one's capabilities are influential determinants of college and career life paths. The Vega Girls Project promotes both a hands on, and theoretical approach to improving the participants' beliefs in their own capabilities. They will be taught enhanced business skills, including presentation skills. The Vega Girls will practice both on their peers and will interact with adults in the community.Each team of participants will be required to coordinate and create a community-based project. This project can directly benefit the host school, such as an enhanced web presence, a particular web based project, or reach further into the community and help out a local business or non profit. The choice is made in collaboration with the school administration.Since the participants' information will be used anonymously in a research project, the appropriate release forms need to be signed, and a letter of intent needs to be signed by the participating school. The project will run through the school year, finishing with a participant led conference presenting the accomplishments of the participants from that year. Participation can continue, both by the school, and by current participants should the school be interested in maintaining the program.Self Efficacy is a main component supporting this project.

Perceived self-efficacy is concerned with people's beliefs in their capabilities to exercise control over their own functioning and over events that affect their lives. Beliefs in personal efficacy affect life choices, level of motivation, quality of functioning, resilience to adversity and vulnerability to stress and depression. The four main sources of influence in this area are recognized to be: mastery experiences, such as the tasks they will be taught in technology, and business skills, seeing people similar to themselves manage task demands successfully, social persuasion that the participant has the capabilities to succeed in given activities, and inferences from these experience of personal strengths.

The intent of the program is to build experience, in an interactive environment, with a reflective component built into the experience, to enhance the self efficacy of the participants.