In our Girls Club, we began by learning a chant that was written by one of the girls. Then we referred back to the seven strengths and discussed how this club would really empower each one of them.  I then had them fill out the questionnaire to find out more about each one of them. I allowed them to each find a spot in the room so that they could really focus on personal responses. It was amazing to me how quiet and thoughtful they were. It took almost a half hour for them to finish, but I thought it was best to let them take as much time as they needed since they seemed to be very interested in getting to share more about themselves through writing.

When they finished, we began browsing magazines to begin creating a poster about the seven strengths. One of the girls thought it would be really neat to trace their hands on construction paper and cut them out, and then write a strength in each hand. Another girl thought we should find pictures from magazines that represented the strengths, and create a large collage around the hand cutouts.

On our next meeting, the girls continued to work on the poster, but still hadn’t found all the photos they wanted yet. We decided that we would spend a small amount of time each week on the poster so that it would be a work in progress over several weeks time.

We read “Chrysanthemum”, and it was amazing to me how much these girls related to the story. Each one of them had such unique discussions about how they sometimes felt pressured by what others thought of them. When we finished the stories, I had them brainstorm adjectives that describe themselves. They each wrote 20+ adjectives on cards and the girls shared them with one another and put them on a poster board. They created lines connecting similarities and made a web. Each time we come together, the girls bond and truly open up to one another in this close knit group.

Submitted by Molly, Girls LitClub Facilitator in Virginia Beach