Since 2002, the program has expanded to half a dozen volunteers and more than a dozen girls. We now meet during clusters, which is an elective period of 1.5 hours every Friday afternoon. During the 2003/04 school year, the girls took part in a large variety of different activties, including: yoga, making bracelets, family dinners, self-defense, trips to the campuses of UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Wilmington, makeovers, cooking, guest speakers from the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals, salsa and bhangra dancing, and more! Other classes have focused on discussing healthy relationships, study habits, and career goals. Even though these activies vary in focus, the program always relates what the girls learn in each class to our continued goal: the promotion of self-esteem and higher education in young Latina women. Through these activities, the girls have learned more about themselves and the opportunities available to them, and have formed strong bonds with their classmates and the volunteers. Click here to see pictures of some of our activities. We currently have 6 volunteers, all full-time students at UNC. Although we represent a wide range of academic interests, every volunteer has a strong emotional connection to the program. Each person brings something different to the table, making the group both fun and effective.
We currently have 13 girls enrolled in Las Guapitas. The students involved in the program are all between the ages of 11 and 14 and are in middle school (6th - 8th grade). They have varying interests, and are involved in activities ranging from sports to art. All of the girls are Latinas - either from or descended of parents from countries ranging from Colombia to Mexico. Most of the girls are bilingual, although some are more comfortable with Spanish or English. Next year, we hope to get them involved with the development of the website so that they can introduce themselves to you. Look for profiles of our students in early 2005.
Interested? Las Guapitas has already formed partnerships with community organizations like El Centro Latino and the Carolina Center for Public Service , and we'd love to share resources with even more groups. So, whether you're interested in joining Las Guapitas as a volunteer, a community partner, or would just like more information about the program, we want to hear from you! To get in touch with us, email Sara Miner at Sammana14@yahoo.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Las
Guapitas - Promoting Self Esteem and Higher Education |
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