GEN's Voice

Issue 45
May 2005

In This Issue:

One of this year�s final Speaker Series events was held at the end of March at Dobie Middle School. The well-attended panel discussion, entitled �Take Work to Our Daughters,� was a great play on the better known �Take Our Daughters to Work Day.� Because it�s not always possible to take our daughters to work, GENaustin brought a panel of dynamic women in a variety of fields to girls to talk about how girls can make their own career dreams come true. Panelists included Latinworks account director Flor Lozano, KEYE�s Community Relations Director Kerrie Quenell, non-profit Executive Director Alison Schmidt, interior designer Tracy Overbeck, real estate attorney Jo Kallison, triathlete Terra Castro, Fox News Anchor Katherine Kisiel, architect Katie Jensen, political representatives from the Mexican-American Legislature: Nicole Drozd, Lizette Montiel and Zulema Mendeza and construction interior designer Kathy Zarski.

The panel discussion, hosted by GENaustin board member and first-season Apprentice star Amy Henry, addressed how to seek scholarships, how to pursue a career goal that your parent might not think you should pursue, and how to balance family life with career realities.

According to Amy, the girls had lots of questions for the panelists:

• What do you do?
• Did you know what you wanted to do for a career when you were in middle school?
• What or who gave you the idea that you wanted this career?
• What classes in middle school and high school were important for this career?
• Did you have to go to college to qualify for this career?
• Did you ever think that you wouldn�t be able to do this career?
• Did anyone (parents, teachers, friends) discourage you from pursuing this career?
• What is the most fun thing you do at work?
• What is the least fun thing you do at work?
• How do you make yourself do the stuff that isn�t fun?
• What advice would you give a middle school girl who is thinking about entering your field of work?

Not only did the girls get great answers, they learned about the value of informational interviewing!

Speaker Series is seeking volunteers to help plan next year�s calendar (2005-2006) and also to be school representatives to implement events. A lighter commitment than other program committees, Speakers Series is a great way to see firsthand how GENaustin works with girls. If you would like to volunteer please contact Amy Henry at [email protected].

GENaustin definitely attracts some tough cookies�Tough Cookie Duathletes, that is! On April 10, some 125 women gathered in Copperas Cove, TX for a beautiful day of biking and running. Conditions were ideal, and GENaustin women took advantage of it. Board member Becca Bruce placed 11th overall and first in her age group. GENaustin staffers Christine Carlucci, Nicole Basham, and Laura Donnelly also participated, all finishing in just over one hour�quite an accomplishment for a 2-mile-run/10-mile-bike/2-mile-run!

April was a very busy month for oriGENal voice girls. Kick Butts Day, a national celebration of youth advocacy, leadership, and activism that takes place on April 13th, brought out the creative spirit in oriGENal voice advisory girls. As a way of getting the attention of their peers�while providing valuable information at the same time�OV girls made sure that everyone at Dobie Middle School knew about the number 87.

�The OV Advisory girls at Dobie created around thirty �87� signs,� said Stacey Middleton, oriGENal voice program assistant. They posted the signs all over the campuses of Dobie and Fulmore Middle Schools, making sure not to tell anyone what the mysterious number signified. At the end of the day, the schools made announcements explaining that 87 was the number of tobacco-related deaths in Texas per day.

The following day, oriGENal voice had tables in the schools� cafeterias with information about 87 and materials about the dangers of tobacco. Students could also pledge to be tobacco-free.

�Immediately after the signs went up, there was a buzz in the hallways and classrooms about the 87�s posted all over campus,� Stacey said. �Students and administrators were definitely interested in the meaning behind the 87.�

The key to getting your message across is to first get people�s attention. The OV 87 campaign succeeded there. �With students and teachers engaged in our message, we were able to get a large number of students to pledge to be tobacco-free,� Stacey said.

And the awareness campaign isn�t over yet. During the weekend of April 29 and 30, oriGENal voice will have an exhibit in the Health and Fitness Expo at Texas Roundup. Then, on May 24, OV will host a panel discussion at Dobie Middle School featuring Austin women in the arts.

�In addition to busting the myth that all cool artists smoke,� Stacey explained, �they will share their personal experiences working in smoking environments and overcoming tobacco addiction.�

Austin is definitely the live music capital of the world�and GENaustin has tapped into some of our town�s top talent. Not only is the benefit CD ready to hit store shelves and the GENaustin website on May 1, local singer/songwriters Kacey Crowley and Renee Woodward opened the clubGEN end-of-year party, held at LCRA last month. More than 100 high school facilitators, clubGEN sponsors, donors, board members and GENaustin staffers attended the party, feasting on lasagna prepared by volunteers using donated facilities at Gina�s Kitchen. Party pro Rhea Phillips, who owns a personal chef business called Gourmet 101, oversaw the preparations. With breadsticks donated by the Olive Garden and Sweet Leaf tea and Whole Foods providing beverages, partygoers were not only entertained, but well fed, too!

The event also saw the presentation of two scholarships to two amazing girls, Jill Hall and Elizabeth Tinnin, thanks to a grant funded by the Favrot Foundation. Selected from a field of 15 highly qualified nominees, Jill and Liz demonstrate boundless leadership and maturity in their work with middle school girls. As Anita Mennucci expressed in the presentation:

�Jill is the first high school student to contact GENaustin to request clubGEN at her school. She contacted us just after Fall training, wanting to get a club started before she graduated. It wasn�t until several weeks afterwards that we realized she was in fact a student and not a parent or administrator!,� she added, ��Her professionalism, drive, and enthusiasm are inspiring and we applaud her efforts to mobilize two adult sponsors, to garner principal support, to recruit and select fellow facilitators, and to keep the group motivated until club started this semester!�

Anita also recognized Jill as �a born leader.� And, added that in addition to her participation in clubGEN, Jill is also a leader on the drill team, teaching girls dance in a positive way.

�She is a great role model for those girls.� said Anita, quoting Jill�s nomination form, �Jill is a take-charge kind of girl who is not afraid to voice her opinion, but does so with great respect and understanding of those around her.�

Anita also addressed other scholarship winner Liz Tinnin, who shares Jill�s initiative and skills in mobilizing her peers.

Relaying comments on Liz�s nomination form, Anita explained, �Liz was instrumental in spreading the word about clubGEN to her friends in choir and other groups, and helped ensure that clubGEN would continue at Westlake this year with a strong group of facilitators. She did a great job of conveying clubGEN�s goals to potential facilitators so there would be a high level of interest in applying to become a facilitator.�

Anita relayed Liz�s nominators other comments, �that her input at meetings is always thoughtful and creative and she is always mindful of how best to serve the middles school girls. Liz took the initiative to come up with a new approach called TALK to use with the younger girls. T stands for Tough issues, A stands for Attentiveness, L for Listening and K for Kindness. This acronym perfectly describes the goal of a facilitator and demonstrates Liz�s complete understanding of her role as a clubGEN ambassador.�

Congratulations to Jill and Liz and to all the clubGEN participants for another great year!

And, thank you to all the in-kind donors including former GENaustin board member Pei-San Brown for creating bracelets to award sponsors-of-the-year, Sponsor Robin Malloy for donating an iPod used for a door prize and other businesses not mentioned above that donated goods, gifts and services for the event including Albertson�s, Austin Natural Soap, Borders, Chaparral Ice, Claire�s, Costco, Dart Bowl, Gourmet 101, Jaqua, Inc., Lights Out Candles, Momoko, Origins, Terra Toys, LCRA, El Mercado Restaurants and the night�s musicians.

GENaustin also recognizes individual donations for the event from Sikander and Shubha Adeni, Bulhon Design Associates, Nicole Basham, Lynette and Michael Davidson, Diane Dixon, Julie Garcia, Olivia Mennucci, Mark and Anne McKinnon, Lori Nickels, Stacy Schoolfield, Kim Soechting, James and Laney Tankard.

If you would like to sponsor a clubGEN, please contact Nicole Basham at [email protected].

May is the month of Mother�s Day. To celebrate, we�re presenting the second part of our summary of a great article that appeared in Washington Parent magazine in January. Lynn Grasso wrote eloquently about �Raising Strong Girls,� based on her experience as a mother and as a girls� group facilitator.

�Help your daughter appreciate her uniqueness,� Grasso writes, by creating a family tree with your daughter. Talk about all the past and present women in her family and interview other family members about those who have passed away. This will give her a sense of �herstory�.

Together, make a list of adjectives and descriptive phrases about herself:

• What kind of friend is she? (loyal, sensitive, etc.)
• What are her values/interests? (math, sports, creative arts, animals, etc.)
• How is she out in the world? (asks a lot of questions, participates in class discussions, helps out at church)

�Educate your daughter on assertiveness,� says Grasso. Talk about the difference between assertive, aggressive, and passive behavior. Role play about possible responses to bullying behavior. Always ask, �What did you say to her when she said that to you?� Come up with alternative responses to not saying anything or merely walking away, such as �Tell her how that made you feel,� or �Tell her in a loud voice, �Stop that, I don�t like it!�� Grasso points out that girls often don�t stand up for themselves after being hurt by a friend because they don�t want to hurt their friend�s feelings.

Model assertive behavior by speaking up (kindly and respectfully) if the hairdresser is cutting your hair too short or if someone cuts in line at the grocery store. Teach assertive posturing: standing up straight, speaking in a strong voice, and looking people in the eye. And point out assertive girls and women on TV or in movies; also, point out when girls or women are portrayed as weak or needing rescue. Offer a different plot scenario: �Wouldn�t it be great if this show had a woman as this lady�s boss?�

�Understand girls� friendships and aggression,� Grasso writes. With the help of several great resources (�Queen Bees and Wannabees� by Rosalind Wiseman, �Odd Girl Out� by Rachel Simmons, and �Things Will Be Different For My Daughter� by Mindy Bingham, Sandy Stryker, and Susan Allstetter Neufeldt), you can help your daughter understand peer roles, particularly when hurt feelings are involved.

Discuss cliques, gossip, power plays, group dynamics, and rites of passage. Allow your daughter to express her anger. Help her feel comfortable with competition and let her know that relationships can survive it. Be ready to deal with indirect aggression�the �up and down look,� the silent treatment, and gossip. And teach your daughter the difference between friendly criticism vs. abuse.

To read the entire article, click here.

GENaustin�s programs address many of these issues. And, according to one Austin mom, GENaustin teaches �Womanpower!� Elaine Tankard�s daughter, Margaret writes the clubGEN newsletter and is a clubGEN facilitator. Elaine has seen firsthand how her daughter�s involvement with GENaustin has had an impact. In addition to developing leadership skills, Margaret �used her creativity, people skills, and journalism abilities (in working on the newsletter). She became more self-confident as a result of being a positive role model and her involvement in planning each week,� Elaine said.

Donna French, a clubGEN sponsor at Porter Middle School and a mother of two daughters (ages 23 and 16), has even seen changes in herself as a result of her involvement with GENaustin. �It has made me more aware of current issues my girls are experiencing or have experienced,� she said. �As a mom you think you know everything because you lived through it, but life is so different today!�

This insight has helped her grow even closer to her daughters, enabling them to talk about a whole host of issues with each other. �For example, we watched the movie �Thirteen� together with my 16 year-old and some of her friends. What a powerful movie! I recommend this to all parents but should definitely follow with discussion,� she said.

As for the impact GENaustin has on the high school girls that she helps with clubGEN, Donna recognizes the importance of their independence and leadership. �I think the best dynamic is that high school girls mentor and facilitate the groups for the middle school girls,� she said. �They learn so much from each other and are able to really get honest because they are not talking to teachers, parents and other adults.�

From a family of four sisters, to a mother of two daughters, and a clubGEN sponsor for scores of girls, Donna sums up her feelings about GENaustin: �It is an awesome experience for all involved!�

FYI � the oriGENal voice CD is available for ordering through the GENaustin website (www.genaustin.org) and at Waterloo Records before Mother�s Day. Filled with a roster of musicians including Sheryl Crow, Patti Griffin and Austin�s own Trish Murphy, Patricia Vonne and Kacey Crowley � this musical embodiment of female power makes a great gesture to Mom.

GENaustin's programs are made possible through the generous support of 3M, Alice Kleberg Reynolds Meyer Foundation, Applied Materials, the Austin Community Foundation, Austin Independent School District, Austin Wine Merchant, Austin Ventures, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the Dell Foundation, the Favrot Foundation, Girl Next Door, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, the Silverton Foundation, Meredith Private Foundation, Safeway, Shoes for Austin, Texas Cancer Council, the Topfer Foundation, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Webber Family Foundation, Wells Fargo and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati.

Make an online donation to GENaustin through Network for Good by clicking on this Web link: guidestar

GENaustin has been selected to take part in Buffalo Exchange�s Tokens for Bags Program. The program allows customers to choose to receive a token instead of a bag when making their purchase and the token represents a cash donation to a particular charity. So the next time you�re shopping at Buffalo Exchange (2904 Guadalupe), be sure to forego the bag and help out GENaustin by placing your token in our box. Our box is in the middle!

Now you can support GENaustin and its important programs simply by shopping online. Just go to GENaustin, Get Involved, Shop and follow the links to more than 400 stores, including Barnes & Noble, Land's End, Ann Taylor, Linens-n-Things, Neiman Marcus, L.L. Bean, Dell, Amazon.com, JC Penney, Old Navy, Gap and many more!

Pei-San Brown, Proprietor of Pei-San, Inc., will be donating 5 percent of all jewelry sales (not including tax, shipping, and website/credit card transaction fees) generated by GENaustin supporters to GENaustin. Anyone interested in purchasing one of Pei-San�s lovely designs should enter �GENaustin� in the referral box (the box labeled "How did you hear about Pei-San, Inc.?"). To peruse Pei-San�s unique collection of necklaces, earrings and bracelets click: here.

Inspired by the book Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, GENaustin, a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization, was formed in 1996.

GENaustin is a non-profit organization based in Austin, TX, and was founded in 1996. GENaustin�s mission is to foster healthy self-esteem in girls by engaging them to explore and define their personal values and to build skills that empower them with confidence and courage to make wise choices. Our vision is that we become a premiere source/model organization in Austin and beyond for creative approaches that build girls' critical thinking, self-esteem and confidence.

For more information, please visit our Web site at www.genaustin.org. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 3122, Austin TX, 78764. You may call us at (512) 414-0472 or email us at [email protected].

To receive our newsletter via email each month, send an email to newsletter@genaustin.org. Please include your full name and the email address where you like the newsletter to be sent.

Copyright © GENaustin, Inc. 2001-2006. All rights reserved. GEN, GENaustin, and GENaustin logos used and displayed herein are registered and unregistered trademarks of GENaustin, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and logos used herein are the property of their respective owners. Email us at office@genaustin.org.