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GEN's Voice
Issue 19
January 2003
In This Issue:
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Here’s what’s going on in January:
“Reviving Ophelia: 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.
Thursday, January 9, noon – 1 p.m., 3M Company, 6801
Riverplace Blvd. (Please RSVP for specific
directions to 984-5990.) For adults.
“Passport to Honor, Pride, and Self-Assurance.”
By Dr. Darlene Grant, UT professor of sociology and
award-winning, inspirational speaker on topics
involving women, children, addiction and racial
diversity. Dr. Grant’s talk is inspired by poet Maya
Angelou, who wrote, “The woman who survives intact
and happy must be at once tender and tough. She must
have convinced herself….that she, her values and her
choices are important.” Girls who attend will
receive their own “passports” to remind them of
their right to enter with pride and self-confidence
into the world of adulthood.
Wednesday, January 15, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Mendez
Middle School library, 5106 Village Square Drive.
For girls and parents.
“Telling Our Own Stories: Girls Making Media.”
Much has been made of the mass media’s harmful
representations of girls and women. But what happens
when women and girls take matters (and cameras) into
their own hands? Mary Celeste Kearney, a professor
in the UT Radio-Television-Film program, will lead
girls in an interactive workshop about how girls can
talk back to the media by creating their own media
messages. The workshop will include information
about opportunities in the Austin area for girls to
learn media-making skills.
Tuesday, January 21, 6:30 – 8 p.m., Chisholm Trail
Middle School library, 500 Oakridge Drive, Round
Rock. 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.
Wednesday, January 29, lunchtime, Covington Middle
School, 3700 Convict Hill Road. For girls and their
fathers.
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"The Best of Friends: Helping Girls Navigate Peer
Relationships." GENaustin and SafePlace will present a
professional workshop on adolescent girl-on-girl aggression
9 a.m. to Noon, on Saturday, January 18, at SafePlace. The
workshop is certified for 3 hours of MSW and LPC continuing
education credits. Presenters are Ellen Sanchez, M.Ed.,
SafePlace, and Carolyn Brooks, M.Ed., Westridge Middle
School.
Early bird registration by January 6 is $45. After that
registration is $55. Cost to school employees and college
students is $25. Parents are welcome. Seating is limited.
You may register and pay by credit card by calling GENaustin
at 414-0472. Call SafePlace at 512/267-7233 for location. |
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Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out, is accepting
submissions for a new book about girls told in girls’
voices. Girls 18 and younger are invited to send their
personal reflections and stories about girls’
relationships and aggression.
Your essay or story might explore:
- A girl’s meanness to you
- Something you did to a friend to hurt her
- A time when a friend was mean to you
- A time you got caught in the middle of a fight
- How you deal with anger
- What it’s like being popular
- What it’s like not being popular
- Competition between girls
- Jealousy between girls
- Girls who “think they’re all that”
- Anything you want!
Your story might answer questions like:
How did what happened affect you today? Did other people
know what was happening? What did your parents do? Did
teachers know about it? How did what happened affect you
then? What would you want other girls to know about your
experience?
Your name will be withheld upon your request. Girls 13
and over can email stories to [email protected].
Please include your name, address, telephone number, and
email on your submission. Girls under 13 need a parent’s
permission before submitting a story. For more
information and a permission form, please visit
www.rachelsimmons.com. |
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If you are between the ages of 9-12 or you know a
“tween” who is that age, check out www.klru.org/tweens.
This new KLRU-TV Web site was created by tweens for
tweens.
A major component of this site is information about
home, family and friends that local tweens who are part
of the Austin Public Library’s Wired for Youth Program
created. However, any tween who is interested in sending
stories, photos or information about themselves is
invited to submit to this new Web site.
The site also serves as a bridge to five new Web sites
that were created just for tweens. These sites include
Plastic Fork Diaries, about what to eat; It’s My Life,
find out if others feel like you; Backyard Jungle,
explore the great outdoors; 3-D and I, learn how cars
and watches are designed; and Don’t Buy It, find out
what advertisers do to try to trick you.
KLRU created this new site thanks to a grant from the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The site was also
made possible through a partnership with the Austin
Public Libraries Wired for Youth program and the Austin
History Center. |
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The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America has
announced its 2002/2003 Girls Going Places College
Scholarship Program, a national competition designed
to recognize and reward teen-aged girls who
demonstrate exceptional entrepreneurship.
Guardian designed the annual program to help women
create, invest, and protect wealth by honoring girls
between the ages of 12 and 16 who are taking the
first steps toward financial independence. Guardian
and Girls Going Places will award 15 girls a total
of $30,000 to be used toward their college
education. There will be three top scholarship
prizes of $10,000, $5,000, and $3,000 and twelve
finalist prizes of $1,000. Adults may nominate girls
by submitting an essay on why the nominee deserves a
Girls Going Places award.
Nominees should: demonstrate entrepreneurship and/or
financial acumen; have taken the first steps toward
financial independence; make a difference in their
school, community, or in other people's lives; and
show potential for future success.
The deadline for entries is February 28, 2003. For
complete program information and nomination
procedures, go to http://www.glic.com/home_set.html
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RunTex is offering a free New Year’s Resolution
Clinic for parents of elementary and middle school
students/runners (including Marathon Kids and NEXT
Running Club). The focus will be on getting in shape
with your children, leading them by setting goals,
rewarding them, and learning how to make exercise
fun. An active Marathon Kids Parent will share her
ideas and experiences with participants. The clinic
will emphasize correct running form, proper shoes
and support, stretching, drills, and warming up and
cooling down.
The clinic will be held on Sunday, January 12th from
3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at RunTex Riverside (422 W.
Riverside Dr.) at Riverside Dr. and South 1st
Street, across from Auditorium Shores and the Palmer
Auditorium.
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GENaustin is currently seeking volunteers with
strong public relations, communication, and media
skills to promote GENaustin’s programs and
activities. Media highlights from GENaustin’s
2001-02 calendar year included coverage or full
features in the Austin American-Statesman, Austin
Chronicle, KXAN & KVUE, KLBJ radio, ESPN radio, New
York Times Magazine, Good Morning America and more!
Specifically, GENaustin seeks volunteers to:
- supervise student interns to conduct weekly media
outreach;
- publicize GENaustin's on-going speakers' series;
- inform Austin parents about upcoming GENaustin
events;
- create content for the GENaustin website;
- promote special GENaustin community events; and
more!
PR Volunteers are asked to attend one monthly
meeting and commit 2-10 hours per month to assist
with GENaustin media and PR activities. Interested
volunteers should contact Jane Chambers at [email protected].
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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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