"Those who have high self-esteem have a totally different life experience than those with low self-esteem," Cavallari said.

The organization's inaugural camp was held Aug. 4 to 12 in Breckenridge. Seven girls ages 10 to 12 from all over Colorado, and one from Ohio, participated in the camp.

For many of the girls, the camp was the first time away from for home without their parents, so the group really bonded during the camp because none of them knew one another, said Kris Franklin, executive director of Wings to Fly. Franklin lives near Edgewater, in the Sloan's Lake neighborhood.

"The speakers were flawless, and the girls really blossomed during the week," Franklin said.

During the camp, the girls interacted with several professionals who donated their time to speak. The speakers included Dr. Linda Lister, a psychologist from Lakewood who is an expert on adolescent girl topics; Dianne Koehler, a herbalist and nutritionist; and Rebecca Haskell, a former high jump Olympic athlete.

Lister, who is also on the board of directors for Wings to Fly, said she got involved with the organization because it is directed at all girls, not just certain populations.

"All girls need this kind of skill-building and information," she said.

Lister spoke to the girls about financial literacy and prompted them to think about financial goals. She described her session with the group as brimming with "good, positive energy."

"They were exceptionally attentive, very curious and interesting girls," Lister said.

The girls asked Lister about her career, and two of the girls expressed interest in becoming psychologists, so Lister also fielded questions on career paths.

Cavallari, who lives in Arizona, said she is "exhilarated" to finally see her dream of the camp come true. Although Cavallari owns her own consulting company, Aspire Marketing, and is kept plenty busy raising her 5-year-old daughter, her vision of the camp is something she has held on to for years.

When Cavallari met Franklin, both of them drew on their backgrounds to create the framework for Wings to Fly.

"Growing up, I was taught to really believe in myself," Cavallari said. "I didn't know at the time what an incredible gift that was. (Wings to Fly) is my chance to give back."

Franklin said she was drawn to the idea behind Wings To Fly because she could have benefited from such a program when she was growing up. Working in the modeling industry for 15 years taught her how vital self-esteem is, she said.

"It's a harsh industry, where people are taught to define themselves by how they look," she said. "It looks so glamorous, but most of the models I met were very insecure."

To promote a life-long learning experience, camp activities are designed to be "fun with purpose." For instance, throughout the week the girls are given stones as rewards, which they make into a necklace at the end of camp.

"Each stone represents something they did that week," Franklin said. "They can say, 'This one is from when I was a friend to someone, this one is from when I showed courage on the ropes course.'"

Cavallari added, "The cool thing about the necklaces is they tell the story of camp. When you create pride at a young age, it builds positive self-esteem."

Another aspect of the camp is each girl receives "camp dollars" which they have to manage throughout the week. This activity allows the girls to make their own financial decisions. They have the choice to spend, save or give back, just as they would in real life, Cavallari said.

In order to be selected for Wing to Fly, both the girl and a parent or primary caregiver have to complete an application and essay. The primary caregiver has to commit to being involved with the girl's growing process, even after camp ends.

Follow-up phone coaching for parents is included with the camp tuition to ensure the camp's lessons continue at home.

"This is a learning process for the parents or primary caregivers as well," Franklin said. "They learn how to support the girl on her journey and how to promote doing things that are good for her self-esteem."

Over the course of the camp, the girls became a close-knit group, so saying good-bye was a tearful experience, Franklin said. However, a secure blog is being built on the organization's Web site so girls can stay in touch . Also, the girls will reconvene in February to pack medical supplies for Project Cure.

Wings to Fly is funded through private donations. The 2007 camp was funded by Roger and Dee Dee Parker, of Cherry Hills, who gave scholarships for all the girls to attend.

"Roger has two young daughters and grew up with sisters, so he is very in tune with girls' issues," Franklin said.

Wings To Fly plans to hold six camps next year, four in Colorado and two in Arizona. For more information, visit www.wingstofly.info.