Porter Empowerment Group Builds Girls’ Self-Esteem
Tucked away in a classroom as they eat lunch, a group of 3rd and 4th grade girls at Porter Elementary School make bookmarks plastered with motivational sayings. They decorate the cover of their own journal. They create self-portraits, listing three positive qualities in themselves, along with why those things make them proud and a mantra to tell themselves if they are having a down day.‘I am brave. I am strong. I am funny.’
‘I can do this!’
‘I am beautiful,’ the students write.
The group – called GEMS (Girls: Empowered, Motivated and Strong) – is new this year. It was created to serve as a solution as school staff noticed that the young girls were finding themselves involved in drama, struggling with confidence, and having trouble building friendships. Created by school counselor Mrs. Jackson, 3rd grade teacher Ms. Henson, and Special Education teacher Ms. Robarge, the group has three goals: to provide a safe space and let the students know staff believe in them; help students see their self-worth and what a difference it can make to build each other up instead of tearing each other down; and help students build a foundation of skills that will last them a lifetime.
“It originally started as a fun discussion amongst the three of us after we had lunch with a 4th grader who was struggling and getting herself into trouble with peers,” Mrs. Jackson explained. “Before we knew it, we had a whole curriculum made up with fun and creative ways to get the girls involved and interested in learning about topics like healthy friendships, self-advocacy, leadership, self-esteem, and building general life skills.”
During each meeting, the group incorporates learning through discussions of real topics going on in their lives. They focus regularly on journaling and activities that promote confidence and community building; and moving forward, they hope to welcome some strong female speakers to inspire the girls.
“My favorite thing about GEMS is writing in my journal,” 3rd grader Nariah Wright shared. “We write how we feel about ourselves and how life is going. GEMS has changed a lot for me. It makes me feel comfortable – it’s a good space to be in. It’s really important for girls like us to be friends because we can support each other when we’re going through things.”
“I like that I can express myself in GEMS,” 3rd grader Bella Parham added. “I feel more confident here and it motivates me because they always tell us that girls can do anything!”
School staff also hope that the GEMS experience will inspire participants to continue participating in or leading female empowerment groups as they move forward into middle and high school. We’re proud of the GEMS group for creating a supportive environment for these girls!
