. >> when i came in, it was a different time, way before naomi campbell and tyra banks. to see a black woman at the mantle of anything fashion. i remember when the insiders called for a woman nondescript, meaning you couldn't tell if she was black or white. so i never paid that no mind. reporter: sheryl started the program that emphasizes academics and she makes sure that these girls have the foundation to achieve success. >> the goal of this program is to make sure that marginalized girls of color finish high school in time and get in college, and so far, 1,200 girls have graduated from the program over the past 12 years, and so i could be proud of anything, i'm so happy about that. >> her work honored and highlighted by the white house, and guess what? she is far from done. >> programs like are this so important, too. if you want to break the cycle of incarceration and things like that, they need mentors and the work she sounds like she's doing is amazing and going to change society. >> it's not even people that could possibly be incarcerated. it's people that can be b