16 Students Take Part In ‘She Leads Conference’
Last week, sixteen female Middle School students completed the second annual She Leads Middle School Conference at BHS from April 1st – 3rd.
A spokesperson said, “Students from BHS, Dellwood, Whitney Institute, and Bryanston Prep [located in the UK] spent three days connecting at the leadership and development programme, organised by BHS with sponsorship from HSBC.
“Created as an extension of the popular She Leads: A Real-World Readiness Programme, which runs in the summer for female high school students, this three-day event introduced themes that empower girls from a younger age.
“The conference included a robust schedule for the three days, with a mixture of hands-on experience, guest speakers, and workshops.
“During the first day, invited speakers talked to the girls about breaking barriers [Stacey-Lee Williams, CURB] and healthy eating and cooking [Hannah Jones & Leila Bateman, Island Nutrition]. In addition to the guest speakers, students participated in a workshop on responsible social media use.
“On day 2, She Leads participants enjoyed an HSBC career panel featuring Megan Sousa, HR Business Partner, Tanya Bule, Head of Wealth and Personal Banking, and Michelle Walkes, Head of Customer, International and Marketing. Tiffany Paynter of SOHMA was on hand to lead the girls through a yoga practice, followed by a workshop on goal-setting for high school and resilience led by Shirley Kelly, She Leads Coordinator.
“The conference culminated in a volunteering session with Elaine Butterfield at the Transformational Living Centre. During the final afternoon, the students welcomed invited guests to view their projects, which they created over the course of two days to showcase all they had learned.”
“I initially thought the programme would be just about leadership, but the conference was about so much more. We learned about the importance of self-care. We also learned that if you are not ready to serve, then you are not ready to lead, and that was really impactful for me,” said Nalini of BHS.
“I was drawn to the programme because of the community service hours. Volunteering at the Women’s Transformational Living Centre was my favourite part. I also really enjoyed meeting new people and getting to know them. I am leaving this conference having made many new friends,” said Bailey of Dellwood.
Georae, Whitney Institute said, “What I like about the programme is that I got to learn new things. We got to talk to professionals from HSBC, and that was very eye-opening for me to see all of the career opportunities that are available.”
Carol Swainson, Head of BHS, commented, “We are so grateful to HSBC for funding this important real-world programme. It empowered the students to start thinking about what they need to give themselves in learning, compassion, and social-emotional support to achieve their goals. From yoga to friendship, they gained concrete strategies to use when faced with decisions, rejection, and life’s hurdles that must be overcome.”
HSBC Executive Sponsor, Judy Doidge, added, “At HSBC, we believe in providing opportunities to support girls in shaping our society through their valuable contributions. That’s why we’re honored to once again partner with the She Leads Middle School Programme, which provides the framework to empower its young participants’ growth as they progress both academically and personally. Thank you to BHS Charitable Trust for their commitment to delivering this impactful programme to the community. Together, we’re fostering a future where every girl can thrive and lead in confidence.”
Applications are now being accepted for the Summer She Leads Programme: The spokesperson said, “The programme will run July 1st—5th at BHS and is open to young women from all schools on the island who will enter their final year of High School in September 2024.
“Applications are due on May 24th. For more information go to https://www.bhs.bm/school-life/she-leads.”
