BHS Hosts 4th ‘She Leads Conference’
The fourth annual She Leads Middle School Conference, held at Bermuda High School, brought together 34 students for leadership and empowerment workshops.
A spokesperson said, “The fourth annual She Leads Middle School Conference took place at BHS from March 30 to April 1. This year’s conference cohort comprised of 34 Middle School students from BHS, Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning [BCCL], Dellwood, Mount Saint Agnes Academy, Saltus, Sandys, Somersfield Academy, Warwick Academy and Whitney Institute.
“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.”
“She Leads provides girls with a great opportunity to be exposed to what real female leadership and empowerment looks like. The conference introduces them to women in leadership as well as to real information and experiences to help them build their own leadership journeys. It was a pleasure to be part of curating this experience for this middle school cohort, watching them be open to new people and experiences, stretching themselves and growing with each day of the conference. The goal is for this to have been an investment in not only their individual futures, but in the future of woman in leadership!” said She Leads Coordinator, Christyn Simons.
The spokesperson said, “The conference included a robust schedule with a mixture of hands-on experience, guest speakers, and workshops.
“During the first day, the girls were hosted at Treehouse BDA for a talk on mental health and a yoga session led by Tiffany Paynter. Invited presenters spoke with the girls about healthy relationships [Stephany Outerbridge, Coalition for the Protection of Children], and public speaking [Severin Gibbons, BHS public speaking coach]. In addition to the guest speakers, students participated in building a self-expression project.
“On day two, She Leads participants began the day with workshop on empathetic leadership, led by Stacey-Lee Williams [CURB] followed by Selita Daniels and Holly Pacheco of HSBC walking the students through a financial literacy course. Finally, the afternoon workshop entitled “Worth it” on self-worth and resilience was facilitated by Shannon Davis of The Growth Mirror.
“The conference culminated in a volunteering session led by Oral Barnett and Alexandria Williams at HOME Bermuda. During the final afternoon, the students welcomed invited guests to view their self-expression projects, which they created over the course of the conference to showcase all they had learned.”
“The She Leads programme was somewhat unexpected. I went in expecting for it to be another one of those “girl power” things but it was better than that!” said Mari Romaine, Whitney Institute.
“She Leads was a very fun experience. I learned a lot more about myself and how I can be an effective leader by showing empathy, having a commanding voice and presence and being able to be reliable,” said Sarai Burgess, BHS.
“She Leads has taught me many things, from public speaking to self-worth and more. Some of my favourite things were going to different places and working on my self-expression project. If you come to She Leads you can do all of these too,” said Capri Furhtz, Sandys.
Lesley Cox, BHS Board Chair, commented, “It is exciting to host the fourth annual She Leads Middle School Conference, which aims to empower young women and develop their potential to stand out with confidence and purpose as they navigate the world around them. Through an intentional set of activities designed to encourage self-reflection and personal growth, the She Leads Programme directly supports the development of confidence and self-expression among participants, while also providing them with a critical opportunity to expand their social network and skills. These young women are our leaders of tomorrow, and BHS is delighted to support them on their journey as they develop their individual skills and potential.”
Carol A. Swainson, Head of School, added, “It was a personal honour to support the investment programme, which gave our middle schoolers a concrete way to understand the power of patience and the importance of investing in themselves. Learning about financial literacy, self-worth, and how to distinguish needs from wants will help prepare the girls for a healthy adulthood as they begin to step boldly into the world. This self-knowledge will serve as a strong foundation as they grow into leaders of themselves and of others.”
The spokesperson said, “For more information visit this link.”
