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GEN's Voice
Issue 20
February 2003
In This Issue:
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Here’s what’s going on in February:
“Mom, Leave Me Alone! But First, Can You Take Me to the Mall?”
By Judy Reyes, a local therapist and mother of daughters. This brown-bag presentation will help girls learn to express themselves in a language that parents understand and appreciate. Learn how you can communicate effectively with your mom in a way that both gives and commands respect. Communicate your needs and understand your mom’s needs, too.
Tuesday, February 4, lunchtime, West Ridge Middle School, 19201 Scenic Bluff Drive (Call school at 732-9243 for exact time and location.) For girls.
“Relationships and Choices.”
Is it love? Is it “like”? Will it last? How far should it go? And who can make these decisions? Girls have the power to make healthy choices about their relationships, their bodies and their futures. Learn how to define what you want from a significant other and how you can set boundaries that are comfortable for you. Ellen Sanchez, M.Ed., is a certified sexuality educator and SafePlace program coordinator.
Wednesday, February 5, 3 – 4:45 p.m., Kealing Middle School, 1607 Pennsylvania Avenue. For girls.
“Dads and Daughters: Growing the Bond.”
Fathers have an enormous influence over their daughters’ future success and happiness. A local expert on the importance of fatherhood will lead dads and daughters in an interactive and fun workshop.
Tuesday, February 11, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Lamar Middle School library, 6201 Wynona Avenue. For girls and their fathers.
“Dads and Daughters: Growing the Bond.”
Studies show fathers have an enormous influence over their daughters’ future success and happiness. Stephen Reid, Ph.D., will facilitate a practical, from-the-heart discussion among fathers, daughters and those who care about them about what fathers can do to help their daughters grow up feeling confident, competent and able to make successful choices in both work and relationships. Reid teaches at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and is the father of a daughter.
Wednesday, February 12, lunchtime, Fulmore Middle School. (Call the GENaustin office at 414-0472 for exact time and location.) For girls and their fathers.
Special Breakfast Event: “Dads and Daughters: Heart-to-Heart.”
By Juan Sanchez, Ed.D., Executive Director, Southwest Key Program. Dads will learn what they can do to help their daughters be all they can be. Daughters will be encouraged to confide, through a facilitator, those things they need from their fathers to feel more confident, competent and strong. Dads also will share with one another what seems to work in forging strong father-daughter bonds. Join fellow dads for a memorable morning with your special Valentine. Breakfast will be served.
Thursday, February 13, 7:30 – 9 a.m., Mendez Middle School library, 5106 Village Square Drive. For girls and fathers.
“From Ordinary to Extraordinary: It’s Just a Little Extra.”
Are you ordinary? Extraordinary? Does extraordinary mean to do better or to be the best? A.J. Procter will open conversation about what makes a person successful and talk about her favorite examples of some extraordinary people and situations. Learn how a little extra effort in school, friends or health can make a big difference in how you live and enjoy life—even how that effort makes you fun to be around and helps attract positive experiences. Who has been extraordinary in your life recently? What can you do, right now, to be extraordinary in some part of your life? A.J. Procter is a founding partner of SharedStar Productions, a digital production studio. She was born in England and has traveled to more than 20 countries.
Tuesday, February 18, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Chisholm Trail Middle School library, 500 Oakridge Drive, Round Rock. For girls.
“Supporting Your Daughter’s Healthy Sense of Self.”
Girls are saturated with messages telling them that attractiveness, sex appeal and popularity are their most important values. This often leads to a steep decline in self-esteem in the middle school years. A local therapist will walk parents through what they can do to support their daughters’ inner selves and what girls can do to resist unhealthy messages.
Wednesday, February 19, 7 – 9 p.m., O. Henry Middle School library, 2610 West 10th. For parents.
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GENaustin fell a bit short of our goal for our year-end annual campaign for donations. Help us make our goal. Click on this secure web link to make a donation on your credit card now and pass this email on to anyone you think is interested in helping our cause: http://www.active.com/donate/annualcampaign2002
You can also support GENaustin and our important programs simply by shopping on-line. Simply go to http://www.genaustin.org/public/content/getinvolved/shop.asp and follow the links to over 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. If you are a new shopper, if you shop at this link: http://www.iGive.com/html/refer.cfm?causeid=5896 $5 extra will be donated to GENaustin through February 28, 2003.
Also, mention GENaustin when you shop at Giada, a unique boutique and gift shop just west of downtown, and 2% of your sale will go directly to GENaustin. GENaustin is excited to be a part of Giada's Community Investment Program. Giada is located at 704 West Sixth Street, a block west of Katz' Deli, 457-8881.
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These are difficult times for our schoolchildren. The violence that pervades our society spills over onto the classroom and playground every day and challenges children like never before. GENaustin has taken a bold step to illuminate the issue of school violence by bringing a nationally recognized leader, Rosalind Wiseman to address the issue of school violence on April 10, 2003. Rosalind Wiseman is president of the Empower Program in Washington, D.C. an organization working with youth and teachers to end the culture of violence among our children. Ms. Wiseman recently authored the book, Queen Bees and Wannabees: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence and has been featured on nationally televised shows like “Oprah” and “Nightline,” as well as publications such as New York Times Magazine. Please contact the GENaustin office at 414-0472 to get on our invitation list for this special event.
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You may be surprised to learn that a national survey recently found that nine out of ten adolescents have periods of depression that last at least two weeks. And over 80% of these teens have never received treatment for their symptoms.
If you have a teen at home, you might be interested in a new book by Dr. Harold Koplewicz, director of the New York University Child Study Center. In the book, entitled More Than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression, Dr. Koplewicz gives advice on how to deal with this serious issue.
In an excerpt from the book, Dr. Koplewicz provides help in determining if your child is depressed:
Signs that may be associated with depression in adolescents, compiled by the National Institute of Mental Health
- Persistently sad or irritable mood
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Significant change in sleeping patterns or appetite (sleeping or eating too much or too little)
- Loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
- Difficulty concentrating
- Recurrent thoughts of suicide
- Frequent vague, unspecific physical complaints (headaches, muscle aches, fatigue)
- Frequent absences from school, cutting classes, or a drop in academic performance
- Outbursts of shouting, complaining, unexplained irritability, or crying; increased anger or hostility
- Excessive boredom
- Social isolation: lack of interest in friends and poor communication
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Fear of death
- Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
- Reckless behavior
Dr. Koplewicz does also caution that, “unfortunately, little can be said about diagnosis that is hard and fast. There is no gold-standard medical test for depression or, for that matter, any other mental illness.” He also states that “it’s critical for parents to understand how the teenage years are different from any other period of life, and to make certain adjustments in their perceptions of their children.”
If you’d like to learn more about this complex issue, More Than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression is available through Barnes and Noble. To help GENaustin, at the same time, be sure to shop Barnes and Noble from The Mall at http://www.genaustin.org/public/content/getinvolved/shop.asp and 2% of your purchase will go to GENaustin.
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Below is a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when she was asked to share her "beauty tips."
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.
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Girl Culture, a new photo essay book by photographer Lauren Greenfield, was recently reviewed in Time magazine by Jessica Reaves. The book reveals the insecurities, dreams, and secret rituals of American girls and features photos of girls along with narratives from the girls themselves.
“The stories they tell, which are unflinchingly raw and honest, are often difficult to read. No matter how well you think you understand what goes on in adolescent life, it can be shocking to read first-hand accounts of the jealousy, pettiness, meanness and general anxiety that characterize female adolescence,” writes Reaves.
While she doesn’t recommend the book for parents who are “desperate to maintain their naiveté about what’s happening in their daughters’ lives,” Reaves feels that one thing that can be learned from this book is that “there’s simply no escape from the ordeals of girl culture.” To read more, go to http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/girlculture/
If someone you care about is facing these girl culture issues, you can find answers in the GENaustin Speaker Series. A complete listing of our offerings is listed on our home page, http://www.GENaustin.org. GENaustin will also tailor workshops to fit your needs. Contact Barb Steinberg, Director of Programs for more information about our workshops at [email protected].
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The University of Texas at Austin will opens its doors Saturday, March 1 for a day of free, fun educational activities, including exploring careers.
When: Saturday, March 1, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: The UT-Austin campus, off IH 35, exit LBJ Library or 15th Street
Who: Everyone is welcome, and it’s all FREE.
For details: See http://www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut/, or watch for the insert in the Thursday, Feb. 27, Austin American-Statesman newspaper.
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Everywoman's Self Defense (a 501c3 non-profit) would like to invite you to a personal safety workshop on Sunday, February 16, from 1 to 4 pm. We have a great program for women, taught by women. We cover all kinds of strategies and scenarios, including de-escalation, acquaintance assault, and verbal and physical techniques. Basically, this is emergency stuff that all women should know; plus, many of our strategies are useful in everyday life.
No previous physical experience is required. All ages and abilities are welcome. (Teens, please bring an adult woman with you). You can read about the course and our school at http://www.everywomans-selfdefense.org.
The class is $50 per person, and partial need-based scholarships are available. Advance registration is required. To register, simply send your payment by mail to Everywoman's Self Defense, 203 E. Riverside Dr., Austin, TX, 78704. We are one block east of Congress, right next to Thundercloud Subs.
If you have any questions, please call Joy Williamson at 416-9735
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A Big Thanks to Our
Corporate Sponsors |
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GENaustin's programs are made possible through the
generous support of 3M, Alice Kleberg Reynolds Meyer
Foundation Applied Materials, Austin Ventures, Brown
McCarroll, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation,
Hogg Foundation, IBM, Milkshake Media, Southwest
Airlines and Xopix Productions.
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Easy Ways to Help
GENaustin |
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When you make a purchase at the following places
part of your purchase goes to help fund GENaustin.
Also, mention GENaustin when you shop at Giada, a
unique boutique and gift shop just west of downtown,
and 2% of your sale will go directly to GENaustin.
GENaustin is excited to be a part of Giada's
Community Investment Program. Giada is located at
704 West Sixth Street, a block west of Katz' Deli,
457-8881.
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This site was last updated on 1/04/2005.
Copyright © GENaustin, Inc. 2001. 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.
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