Empower Girls (Ages 10-14)

Empower Girls is an ongoing social club where "tween" girls, between the ages of 10-14 years old, can build confidence through engaging ice breakers, games, journaling, doodles, and more!  Believe it or not, I know what it's like being bullied... 8th grade was the hardest year for me growing up, so I know how hard it can be to make new friends and stand confident in your own skin. 

This social club is here to provide a safe space for learners to discuss issues that may be difficult to share in the presence of the opposite sex. Some of the topics we will cover include, but are not limited to:

*Believing in yourself
*Finding the right friends
*Sharing hobbies and interests
*Everyday emotions
*Dreams and Goals
*How to handle bullies
*Body image 
*Positive self-talk. .. And so much more!

The first 18 classes will go as follows (Thursday and Saturday section dates):

Week 1 (Week of August 1st): "Believe in Yourself": What does this mean? How do you see yourself? Learners will draw a self portrait and discuss ways we disguise and reveal our true selves (Ice breakers, doodle, discussion game)

Week 2 (Week of August 7th): "Emotions": What are some of the different emotions you feel right now? Learners will be encouraged to share their favorite emojis through a fun ice breaker and have the opportunity to draw/write different emotions they may keep bottled up. We'll discuss healthy ways to release negative emotions (Ice breakers, doodle, discussion, game)

Week 3 (Week of August 14th) : "Who am I?": Learners will pick a handful of adjectives that they believe describe their personality and share why. Learners will celebrate their past accomplishments and identify people in their lives that encourage them.  (Ice breakers, journaling, discussion, game)

Week 4 (Week of August 21th) : "Who do I want to be?":  What jobs do think would be super cool?  Learners will brainstorm different goals, dreams, and aspirations for the future and today as we gear up for Week 5's session. (Ice breakers, journaling, discussion)

Week 5 (Week of August 28th): "Envision our dreams": Learners will bring their magazine clippings of words and pictures that show their hopes and dreams as we construct our very own "dream board" together! Learners will be able to share their choices and explain their vision and dreams for the future. (Ice breakers, craft, discussion)

Week 6 (Week of September 4th): "Who are my friends?": Learners will brainstorm characters from their favorite movies or shows that they'd like as their friend.  We'll discuss qualities of a good friend and the importance of having an open mind about people.  (Ice breakers, doodle, discussion, game)

Week 7 (Week of September 11th): "How to handle bullies":  No one likes a bully, and unfortunately, many bullies have been bullied themselves.  But empowered girls break this cycle! We'll discuss ways to show kindness to ourselves and others through establishing boundaries and limits within these difficult and inevitable encounters with friends and bullies alike. (Ice breakers, journal, discussion)

Week 8 (Week of September 18th): "Let me see you be brave!": Fear is a tricky one, isn't it? In this class, we will share some of our fears, how they make us feel, and ways we can face them with confidence! (Ice breakers, doodle, discussion)

Week 9 (Week of September 25th): "Impossible... I'm possible!": Learners will explore all the tasks that they are capable of doing and those they endeavor to accomplish by embracing a growth mindset. (Ice breakers, doodle, discussion) 

Week 10 (Week of October 2nd): "Body talk": Social media tries to tell us what true beauty is... but empowered girls know that every body is beautiful just the way it is! In this class, we will discuss all the things we like about our bodies and share the strengths that make us unique. (Ice breaker, journaling, discussion)

Week 11 (Week of October 9th): "Show yourself some love": Learners will explore ways they can show love and appreciation to themself. We'll discuss the importance of positive self-talk and how we can care for ourselves by having clean living spaces and healthy hygiene. (Ice breaker, doodle, discussion)

Week 12 (Week of October 16th): "The power of gratitude": Being grateful is one of the best kept secrets of life! When we embrace each day with gratitude, joy follows close behind! Learners will draw all the things they are thankful for and will have the opportunity to write "thank you" in class. (Ice breaker, doodle, discussion)

Week 13 (Week of October 23rd):  "Always be humble and kind": While empowered girls stand confident in who they are, it is important to also show humility with our thoughts and actions. What does this look like in our lives? How is this different than being humiliated? Learners will also receive a hands-on challenge of showing kindness in their communities. (Ice breaker, discussion)

Week 14 (Week of October 30th): "Doing the right thing": It's not always the most popular or easy thing to do... But girls of integrity do the right thing even when no one is watching.  If we want to be trusted, we have to be honest! Through guided discussion of various scenarios, learners will explore the significance of having integrity. (Ice breaker, scenario prompts, discussion) 

Week 15 (Week of November 6th): "I got this":  Accountable, responsible, and disciplined... what do these things all have in common?  Qualities of empowered girls, of course!  Through engaging ice breaker and discussion, learners will examine how they can step up in their lives and take ownership of their thoughts and actions. (Ice breaker, discussion, journal)

Week 16 (Week of November 13th):  "Game on!":  This class will be all about camaraderie... win or lose, we're all in this together! Learners will engage in various games as they work together and against one another as we explore the importance of closeness, friendship, and loyalty in their personal communities and friend groups. (Ice breaker, games, discussion)

Week 17 (Week of November 27th): "Under Pressure":  Sometimes our friends and peers can push us a little too far.  You want to fit in but you also want to do the right thing. In this class, learners will discuss who our peers are and what we can do in given situations to remain true to ourselves and stand confidently.  (Ice breaker, discussion, game) 

Week 18 (Week of December 4th) : "Be Inspired " - Who inspires you?  What pushes you to keep pressing forward? Learners will examine the word "inspire," share what inspires us, and be challenged to inspire others by simply being themselves! (Ice breaker, journal/doodle, discussion)  

Once all 18 lessons have been cycled through, we'll go back to the beginning with new ice breakers and tweaked discussion points for any learner who would like to stay with Empowered Girls and take the classes again :)

So, are you ready to be encouraged?  Are you ready to be inspired?  Are you ready to be empowered to be all that you were created to be? If so, I hope to see you very soon!