Choice Bank

Thank you to Choice Bank for being an Official Partner of BIO Girls!

Choice Bank has been a proud supporter of the BIO Girls program since 2016. What did BIO Girls look like back in 2016? In 2016 there were just five BIO Girls locations and only 200 participants. Fast forward to today, BIO Girls has 70 confirmed program locations for the year and the capacity to reach over 2,500 girls.

This unique partnership has stemmed from Choice Bank’s #PeopleFirst motto.

"An important part of Choice Bank's People First mission is to invest in our communities. BIO Girls provides such an invaluable service to our communities, to empower adolescent girls all across the region to reach their goals and, in turn, better their communities," Brian L. Johnson, CEO of Choice Bank, said. "We are so proud to partner with BIO Girls and are excited about what the future of our partnership will bring.”

Girls from all demographics can and do, suffer from low self-esteem. Therefore, BIO Girls does not target a specific demographic. Instead, our program is for all who seek self-worth development. Back in 2018, we took our first big step to actively reach more girls.

In 2018, BIO Girls created a referral program to seek out girls who can benefit from the program, but would not have the opportunity to participate due to a number of factors. Referred participants receive a full scholarship. BIO Girls also offers scholarships to those requiring financial assistance.

This is where Choice Bank comes in. Choice Bank is a key supporter of our scholarship fund. This fund ensures that financial barriers don’t hold girls back from experiencing BIO Girls.

"It's been so rewarding to see how BIO Girls has grown throughout our partnership," Jay Lies, Choice Bank North Dakota Market President, said. "Many of our team members at Choice are passionate about BIO Girls' mission and volunteer with the organization. This is why it’s so important to us to support BIO Girls and their scholarship program, so they can continue to positively impact all young girls in our communities, including those who may not normally have the opportunity to participate."

As our program’s reach continues to grow, we have taken even further steps to reduce barriers. In 2021, BIO Girls rolled out a pay-what-you-can model, allowing participants to enroll in BIO Girls on a partial or full scholarship with no additional forms or questions asked. Learn more about supporting scholarships.

We are proud to have a partner like Choice Bank that supports our mission and the communities we reside in.

Thank you, Choice Bank, for your continued unwavering support of BIO Girls.

Meet Amanda Littlejohn.

“I am the Associate BSA Fraud Officer at Choice Bank, and have been with Choice for almost 14 years. I volunteer with BIO Girls in Grafton, ND because I feel it is such a great impactful program for our young girls. The lessons that are learned during the 12-week program are valuable life lessons for all ages. It is so important for our young girls to know their self-worth, build confidence and friendships and be kind to others. It is so rewarding to watch the girls strive to be their best selves and accomplish their goals.”

Meet Kelsie Moch.

“I am a Senior Risk & Compliance Analyst on the Complaint Management Team at Choice Bank. I volunteer with BIO Girls in Fargo, ND at the South East Education Cooperative location. Volunteering with BIO Girls is so rewarding to get the chance to connect with the girls and watch them build their confidence from week to week. By the time the last session rolls around, it’s fun to watch them shine and think back on how far they’ve all come, and witness the connections they’ve made with the mentors and each other.  There’s a lot to be said for the impact the participants have on me too. We can learn a lot by seeing the world through their eyes and absorbing some of the lessons we work through with them. These girls are so lucky to get this experience at such a formative age and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’m sure I am echoing so many other mentors when I say I wish there had been more programs like this around when I was growing up.”