Dressed in white ball gowns with white gloves, the girls sang, danced, presented their goals, and thanked their chapter leaders and mothers for their love and support.

From a shy seventh grader to senior class president at Girls High School, Brittany Paris, 18, has come a long way. Headed to Howard University in August, Paris plans to major in pharmaceutical practices.

But there’s something else that makes Paris stand out. She’s made a vow of celibacy until marriage, and she’s proud to talk about it.

“I’m not scared to speak out. I do things on my own, even if no one else is doing them,” said Paris, who credits a program known as Teenshop and its Saturday workshops over the last six years with giving her the confidence to stay on her life path.

“If you’re a girl with goals, Teenshop is where you want to be,” she said.

There are four chapters of Teenshop in Philadelphia and one in Los Angeles. Each hosts a series of workshops every other Saturday, from September until June, on topics ranging from financial literacy to self-esteem.