Author: Madison

In my first three weeks, I’ve worked on our Social and Emotional and Mind + Body programs, meeting over 20 girls with a variety of personalities. One technique I use to connect with each girl is through Sister Circle. During this time, I ask each girl how their day went by asking the question, “What were your highs and lows today?” Occasionally, I make the effort to walk over to each girl individually, creating a more personal experience and ensuring that everyone is listening to each other with respect. For the first few days, I encouraged the girls to clap for one another during our icebreaker to foster a positive and supportive atmosphere.

One of the activities I led and made was called “4 Corners of Character.” It allowed the girls, their peers, and the facilitators to get to know one another better. For this activity, I would read a prompt and the four corners of the room would represent different answers. The girls would move to the corner that best aligned with them. For example, when asked, “How do you spend your weekends?” one girl might choose the corner for reading a book, while another might choose going out with friends to be social.

A key goal I have for the girls is to help them develop collaboration skills and practice teamwork. Most of my activities are designed for groups or pairs, keeping everyone’s energy up throughout the program while also spending time with their friends before going home. Additionally, I often invite the girls to share their ideas with the class, as I want to hear their personal experiences. Occasionally, school staff will also get involved in my lessons, contributing their own experiences or joining in on the activities.

Testimony
One of my middle school girls shared during Sister Circle that she hadn’t had a great day but added, “But I really enjoy coming to Girls Inc today, so that’s my high.”