We Are Girls 2010 Recap

Nearly 800 people gathered at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders to participate in GENaustin’s We Are Girls Conference. This one day event for girls in grades 5-12 and the adults who care about them offered workshops on a wide array of topics related to the biggest issues girls face today. The conference opened with Katherine Schwarzenegger sharing information about positive body image from her book, “Rock What You’ve Got.” The keynote speaker, Rachel Simmons, delivered an interactive and informative speech entitled “Odd Girl Out: How to Deal with Drama and Stay True to You.” This opening not only gave the girls some practical friendship skills, but it also energized the attendees and opened them to the day’s activities. Throughout the rest of the day, attendees had over 75 unique workshops to explore, with topics ranging from financial literacy to physical fitness; bullying prevention to diversity awareness.

All in all the day was a resounding success, with a vast majority of attendees reporting that they felt supported at the We Are Girls Conference, that they learned information they can use, and that they met others who shared their experiences. When asked what they learned, one girl replied, “I will be more confident in my body image and how confident I feel in knowing I am beautiful.” One parent shared, “I’ll listen better to my daughter and talk to her more effectively.”