For the next six weeks, members of the Girl Talk-Power Circle at Heritage and Genoa middle schools will develop their leadership skills, learn how to advocate for themselves and find their passion.
It’s a journey their peers at Blendon and Walnut Springs middle schools recently completed as part of a new empowerment program for middle school girls that was launched by the Educational Equity Department at the start of the year.
Leading the power circles is Yvonne Thornton, a youth educator with the Diva Movement, which provides resources, tools, information and support to women leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals.
“Everyone has a purpose,” she said to Heritage’s power circle group at their first meeting on Monday. “Once you realize this is why I was created, this is why I exist, this is why I’m on the earth, you can start thinking about your future and what you want in life.”
As part of the program at Westerville, Thornton meets with female students twice a week for six weeks during lunch to focus on four fundamental topics: personal and leadership development, self-confidence, decision-making and preparing for the future.
During each session, girls can express themselves in a supportive and nurturing environment and connect with their peers.
“Our primary focus will be purpose and passion,” Thornton said. “We believe everything emanates from that.”
The Girl Talk-Power Circle program serves as the counterpart to the mentoring program the Educational Equity Department started for middle school boys last fall. Through the Decision program, Tim Brown, a former basketball coach turned educator for Columbus City Schools, works with male students at each of the high schools to connect and mentor a select group of younger peers at all four middle schools. High school students meet with a group of 60 to 80 middle schoolers once a week for six weeks.
Like the Decision program, the Girl Talk-Power Circle project is funded through money the Treasurer’s office has earmarked to support school equity initiatives through the District Equity Team.
Middle school students selected for the program were identified as potential leaders as well as those who need additional support.
“It’s to help the girls understand how to be leaders, understand purpose, their vision and help them to have that framework in their lives,” said Anitra Simmons, the district's Educational Equity coordinator.
For Blendon, the program was so meaningful to students that organizers plan to continue their Girl Talk-Power Circle for the rest of the year.
During the power circle meetings at Genoa and Heritage this week, students shared adjectives that best described them, talked about the images they are trying to portray and said what they want in life — all topics that serve as the foundation for the work ahead.
“We’ll talk about those things we can change, we will and those we can’t, we accept,” Thornton said.