Working Group on Girls: First Annual Girls Day Out

First Annual Girls' Day Out

SCHENECTADY COUNTY WORKING GROUP ON GIRLS' "FIRST ANNUAL GIRLS' DAY OUT: BREAKING BARRIERS/BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS"

One hundred and fifty 7th and 8th grade girls were bussed from four Schenectady City Schools to the Glen Sanders Mansion, Wednesday, November 18th. They enjoyed a full school day off campus during National Education Week and participated in "The First Annual Girls' Day Out: Breaking Barriers/Building Relationships," facilitated by the Schenectady County Working Group on Girls (SCWGG). Women from over 15 agencies and organizations who work with and care about girls teamed to create a project to strengthen the girls' sense of self respect, to teach skills that would enable the girls to take responsible control of their lives and to open their minds to new options. The adult participants wished to show the girls that the community cares about them and to connect the girls with the community and with agencies that can meet their needs.

After a mini-breakfast, a plenary session featuring Sister Anne Bryan Smollin emphasized the importance and value of self-respect. Sister Anne starting her keynote by getting everyone up and hugging at least 12 others. She said that we need four hugs a day just to survive and to help us thrive. Girls then attended two pre-selected morning workshops (out of six) dealing with different aspects of forming and maintaining healthy relationships. They regrouped for lunch and met their 'muses'. Muses are adult women who will lead monthly "Girls' Circles" throughout the remainder of the school year.

Following a pre-selected choice of an afternoon arts expression workshop. We offered six other workshops from which to choose. Then the girls reconvened to share what they had accomplished. Girls displayed their visual art work, recited the poetry they had written, acted in a dramatic presentation, sang songs, performed yoga and step dance, played steel drums and performed African dance. All were developed during their afternoon workshops.

Before boarding buses to return to their respective schools, each girl received a soccer bag containing small gifts, resource materials, information about programs offered by agencies that serve girls, and a book, "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: the Real Deal."

The next day, one of the girls' school social workers reported "Our girls are talking about it--some have described it as the best thing that has ever happened to them."

The Schenectady County Working Group of Girls (SCWGG), modeled on the United Nations Working Group on Girls, an NGO under UNICEF, was initiated five years ago by the League of Women Voters of Schenectady County and the American Association of University Women of Schenectady County. The WGG is a truly collaborative venture with members from the LWV, the AAUW, as well as the City Middle Schools, the Schenectady Federation of Teachers (SFT), the NYS United Teachers (NYSUT), the Schenectady School Board, The Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES), the Schenectady County Public Library, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Schenectady, the Sexual Assault Support Services/PPMH (Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson), Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), SAFE Inc., the YWCA, the Girl Scouts of NENY, Girls Inc., and the community. The SCWGG's mission statement is 'Working together to put the spotlight on girls, facilitate programs on their behalf, and educate the community about their needs, challenges, opportunities and successes.'

The SCWGG is a 501c3 under the sponsorship of the League of Women Voters of New York State's Education Foundation, enabling it to receive funding from numerous foundations, agencies, organizations, and individuals.

The Girls' Day Out was funded by donations from The Schenectady Foundation, The Carlilian Foundation, Soroptimist International of Schenectady, The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region's Standish Family Fund, The Henry M. Butzel Family Foundation, Stewart's Shops, Price Chopper (in-kind), also NYS United Teachers, Schenectady Federation of Teachers, LWV, AAUW, Zonta, Schenectady Permanent Firemen's Association,SAFE Inc., as well as businesses: Blown Away, Griffith Dardanelli Architects, M.A.L. Accounting and Tax Services, Miss Nikki's Tutoring Service (Athens, Greece), and individuals: Dr. N Balasubramanian, Jon and Nancy Tobiessen, David Humphrey, and Carole Merrill-Mazurek.

GIRLS' DAY OUT WORKSHOP LEADERS

Chrys Ballerano, Community Educator, NYS Coalition Against Sexual Assault Karen Baum, Dir. of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs at The Center for Community Justice Robin Boyd, SPOA Coordinator, Schenectady Co. Office of Community Services Laura Combs, Social Worker, BOCES/Schenectady CSD Nettie Crossman, retired school librarian, Schenectady CSD Gwynne De Long, LWV and retired teacher Schenectady SCD Gail Wilson-Giarratano, President/CEO, Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region Okenya Hickson, student SHS Maureen Johnson, Service Coordinator, SAFE Inc. Eileen Lawson, Education Team Manager, Planned Parenthood Mohawk-Hudson Mary Clare O'Connor, Schenectady Youth Build, SUNY/SCCC Nichelle Rivers, Ed.D., Asst. Superintendent, Troy CSD Karen Ferrer-Muniz, Dir. Multicultural Affairs, Union College Shirley Readdean, past president, YWCA NENY, and Schenectady CSD Board of Education Bernice Rivera, Social Studies Teacher, Schenectady CSD Latisia Rivera, SHS 2008 Angelique Williams, Founder of Girl Power Mentoring Michelle Williams, community volunteer.

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