Surrey Schools highlights female empowerment programs on International Women’s Day
Today is International Women’s Day, and in honour of the day, the district is recognizing several programs that support and empower female and female-identifying students in a number of our schools.
Every March 8th, International Women’s Day serves as an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of women around the world and shed light on issues of gender equality, reproductive rights and domestic violence, among other challenges. Here, we highlight three programs Surrey Schools offers that are helping elementary and secondary girls build confidence and resilience throughout the school year and reinforce their leadership skills and abilities in school.
Grade 6 to 10 students in Girls Group participate in recreational activities such as kayaking, yoga and self-defence, as well as pottery, baking and cooking, to encourage prosocial engagement among girls.
Girls Group
Girls Group is a female empowerment program for Grade 6 to 10 girls who may struggle to make and maintain healthy relationships, have school or community-based behavioural issues, and are not attached to prosocial activities. Run by Safe Schools in partnership with the City of Surrey, the 10-week after school program uses activities and recreational opportunities to engage girls and promote a stronger sense of self among students.
“There really is a need in Grade 6 and 7, and we found that there aren’t as many supports for that age range,” said Dakota Grange, acting assistant manager with Safe Schools. “They learn about their self-identity and there’s a focus on healthy relationships, building up self-esteem. and female mentorship.”
More than 25 students have participated in the program so far this school year, with groups currently running at Grandview Heights Secondary and Kwantlen Park Secondary. Through the program, girls get the chance to try such activities as self-defence, yoga, pottery, baking, cooking and other existing recreational opportunities through the city, to encourage prosocial engagement.
“It’s about unlocking these potentials within them that they might not try on their own,” said Grange. “There are lots of benefits, and from a district lens, once a student is engaged in an activity, their likelihood to come back to school increases. If they connect to a program, everything subsequently falls into place, and if we get that engagement, we can meet the needs.”
K.B. Woodward Elementary students participate in an art class with Rise Arts as part of Gxrls In Action, a program for Grade 5 to 7 female and female-identifying students.
Gxrls In Action
For Grade 5 to 7 female and female-identifying students, the Gxrls In Action (GIA) program offers safe, educational and fun activities led by Community-Schools Partnership (CSP) facilitators and outreach workers. Staff develop programming that teaches students about ecological sustainability and farm-to-table food, and encourages activity in fitness and sports.
“In our focuses of physical literacy and environmental stewardship, we do field trips to local farms to learn about food production, and activities with partnered sports organizations,” said CSP facilitator Victoria Tecson. “We try to build and provide confidence in trying new and different sports – they learn fundamental movement skills to not only do the sports we have in program but to try sports outside of the program or with school teams.”
Originally started at one school in 2012, the program has since grown to encompass 11 elementary schools this year: Bear Creek, Georges Vanier, James Ardiel, Jessie Lee, K.B. Woodward, Lena Shaw, M.B. Sanford, Old Yale Road, Prince Charles, Riverdale and William F. Davidson.
Betty Huff students show off their henna artwork from STAR Power, a lunchtime mentorship and social justice program for Grade 6 and 7 female-identifying students.
STAR Power
Also under CSP, STAR Power is a lunchtime mentorship and social justice program for female-identifying Grade 6 and 7 students, currently operating at 12 sites across the district.
With more than 200 students, the inclusive program aims to empower female, non-binary and LGBTQ2S+ students through engaging activities that build on their leadership skills and social responsibility. It also supports classroom learning by facilitating discussions and activities that can positively build the participants’ sense of self, knowledge of diversity and adversity, as well as becoming comfortable with the transition to secondary school.
“Being young and being a woman is not always easy but this program really helps make it a bit easier and have that sense of community so that female-identifying students can really band together to talk about their experiences and challenges and dreams and passions,” said CSP facilitator Anamika Sangar. “Their leadership and initiative manifests in so many different ways and it’s a beautiful program that has such intentional goals and outcomes.”
Students learn how to self regulate, gain self awareness, develop empathy and foster a growth mindset through various community action projects at their schools and in their communities. Students participate in activities such as tree planting, picking up litter, leaving kind notes for others and beautifying pathways for students walking to school. The program also promotes improved health and well-being, physical literacy and nutrition education.
For more information on International Women’s Day, visit internationalwomensday.com
