13 Students Complete ‘She Leads’ Programme

On July 5th, 13 female high school students celebrated their completion of the She Leads: A Real-World Readiness Programme.

A spokesperson said, “Students from BHS, CedarBridge Academy, The Berkeley Institute, Mount Saint Agnes Academy, Warwick Academy and Templeton Academy [USA] spent a week together learning how to create meaningful, happy and successful career lives, culminating in a day of presentations on their experiences and takeaways.

Of her experience in the programme, CBA student Zamora Talbot remarked, “I came here because it felt like a chance to make my own opportunities, and that was one of the lessons we learned. This opportunity was presented to me at the right time. Women need to feel empowered. My experience in this programme was amazing, and I encourage others to take part next summer.”

“HSBC and BHS formed a partnership in 2019 to deliver She Leads: A Real World Readiness Programme to inspire and equip young women with tools and frameworks to take ownership of their education, careers and lives. She Leads was created by BHS alumna, Christie Hunter Arscott, award-winning advisor, speaker and author of the book “Begin Boldly: How Women Can Reimagine Risk, Embrace Uncertainty and Launch a Brilliant Career”.

“The programme was created as an extension to the “I Lead” Leadership Framework, launched by BHS in 2019, to deliver the leadership framework beyond students at BHS. The week-long series of workshops and speakers is designed to cater to girls’ learning styles and is focused on empowering, inspiring and connecting participants while teaching them the tools to navigate the challenges of the real world.

Shirley Kelly, She Leads facilitator, stated, “This year, I am particularly proud of this small, but wonderful cohort of young women. They were fully engaged in every session and were supportive of each other. I dare think that several new foundations for friendship with each other and mentoring with the facilitators were laid”. It was a great pleasure working with these young women, and I am as always, greatly indebted for the time and support of all our community partners.”

“The programme began with an introduction to meditation from Tiffany Paynter of SOHAM Yoga to help ground the girls to make the most of the week. Each morning, Ms. Paynter joined the girls for a morning meditation and on Tuesday, they took part in a full introductory yoga session. Day one also included an introduction to the programme for the week and the individual and group projects focusing on “When Are You at Your Best?” and “Crushing Your Inner Critic & Unleashing Your Inner Confidence”.

“Other workshops with invited speakers included:

• “Your network is your net worth” – Danielle Paynter, Founder of the Nab App and Isabella Artuzo, Director of Corporate Affairs at Bacardi Limited.

• “Dressing sustainably for success” – Delight Morris, Founder of Orange Bay Company.

• WeSpeak Boot Camp with Janita Burke, Jennifer Haworth, Gemma Godfrey, Devika Bourne, Dr Sandy DeSilva, Sarah Dunstan, Kelly Ferris, Maria Holder, Suzanne Williams-Charles, Patrina O’Connor-Paynter, Aderonke Bademosi Wilson, Carol Redahan, Pat Phillip-Fairn, and Jessica Lightbourne.

• HSBC Financial Workshop with Selita Daniels and Nicola Bromby

• “Building your resilience toolbox for leadership” – Lorrie Peniston, Synergy Ltd

• “The importance of prioritising self-care” – Eilidh Franklin, Beyond Fitness

• “Manners Matter” – Janita Burke, Founder of Kairos XXII Productions, and Lorena Philips, Founder of Clarendon Wallace and The British School of Etiquette, Bermuda.

Kaitelyn Smith, a Berkley Institute student, said, “Danielle Paynter taught us that being picky about who you spend your time on is not rude; it’s self-respect. That really resonated with me, and it’s a lesson I plan to integrate into my life.”

Annika Henderson of BHS added, “We learned about networking and how important it is to make a really good first impression on people.”

Judy Doidge, HSBC Executive sponsor of the programme added, “HSBC Bermuda has been the Lead Sponsor of She Leads since 2019 and is proud to partner with She Leads for another year. The impact of nurturing the development and prosperity of young women, not only enhances our community’s fabric but also fosters a more equitable future for all. We believe supporting local initiatives such as She Leads that address social, economic, and gender disparities are fundamental in fostering positive transformations that cultivate opportunities for participants’ personal growth.”

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