Adolescence is a time of transition, which potentially leads to risks and liabilities, including increased risk of tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, suicidal behaviors, and disordered eating patterns. However, it is an important time as youth adopt behaviors that have lifelong consequences. Harter’s Model of Competence Motivation (1978) highlights how self-perceptions, such as perceived competence and self-worth develop and are influenced by both individual and socialization factors. Out-of-school programs are one arena that can aid in development of self-perceptions of youth through mastery tasks, the mentoring of adults, and the learning of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and physical skills. The purpose of this study was to understand how out-of-school programs work to enhance or maintain one’s perceived physical, social, and physical appearance competence and one’s self-worth. Girls (M_age= 12.49 years, SD = 1.04) from the Girls on Track (GOT) program (n = 8), competitive soccer programs (n = 6), and the Girl Scouts (GS) (n = 5) participated in 25 to 40 minute semi-structured interviews conducted by the primary researcher. GOT is an educational, running program for early adolescent girls. The interviews included questions concerning social support, intrapersonal outcomes, and feelings about the self from involvement in the program. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis occurred in two phases. Open coding consisted of two researchers independently identifying themes and patterns emerging from the data with discussion ensuing until consensus was reached. Second, two researchers independently discovered associations and connections among the open coding categories (Patton, 1987). Results revealed that girls from all programs experienced positive peer and adult support. Each of the programs provided girls opportunities for mastery attempts; however, the type of mastery attempts varied based on the program. Girls from the soccer and GOT program experienced mastery attempts through physical activity and described increases in their perceived physical competence, while the GS did not.  Only GOT participants discussed how the image of their body changed from their involvement. Girls from all programs reported increases in perceptions of social skills and in self-acceptance. Additionally, girls stated that they experienced positive feelings about the self or favorable impressions of their qualities due to their program involvement. These findings suggest that out-of-school programs play an important role in the lives and the development of the self-perceptions of early adolescent girls by providing an additional arena to develop competencies and self-worth, particularly when coaches discuss these issues openly with the participants.