Country to Canberra is empowering rural girls to reach their leadership potential. Founded in 2014, we connect teenage girls from rural areas with powerful women to help break down gender and geographical barriers to success. Our flagship initiative is a nationwide essay competition that awards winners with an all-expenses paid ‘Power Trip’ to Canberra to meet high-profile politicians and executives. In its inaugural year, the winners met the likes of then-Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop MP and then-ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher at intimate events around the ACT. Plus, winners score online mentorship sessions to equip them with the skills they need to achieve their leadership goals. Winners also receive access to a mentorship program to further develop their career goals. Entries are now open for our 2018 'Power Trip'. Applications close on September 1. Visit: https://bit.ly/1Lo7pSV On top of the competition, the Country to Canberra team is forging an exciting online community that showcases phenomenal content by teenage bloggers to provide insight into life in rural Australia. Why do we do it? Distance, time and funding hurdles can isolate rural students from education and career opportunities. Pairing this geographical barrier with Australia’s gender pay gap and leadership disparity, it’s clear that rural girls face increased challenges as they strive toward their goals. To combat this, we connect girls to role models, help them build career networks and motivate them to become leaders in their local communities.