‘Girls with Courage’ succeeds in its second year

Gil Zamora, a FBI trained forensic artist, drew women as they described themselves in a Dove-sponsored campaign called “Dove Real Beauty Sketches.” Later those sketches were compared to Zamora’s drawings of the women based on a friend’s description. The disparities between sketches showed that the women suffered from low self-esteem.

This was a video shown at “Girls for Courage,” a March 25 event aiming to empower female students. Planned by ceramics teacher Leah Aguayo and attendance secretary Mandy Armes, an informal club of female students and Saratoga High parents, “Girls for Courage” had around 20 to 25 participants in its second year. 

The event taught the girls to respect their mind, body, and others. At the end, each girl decorated and planted two marigold seedlings. The girls were encouraged to write encouraging messages on the pots so that they could be reminded to stay positive. 

The roots for “Girls for Courage” were planted at the beginning of the year, according to event planner sophomore Darby Williams. Williams, who was in Aguayo’s ceramics class at the time, became involved because Aguayo approached her. In time, Williams and other girls formed a casual group that has met every Monday to plan “Girls for Courage.” 

“[We] started talking about certain issues on campus,” Williams said. “We all agreed that there was a lot we wanted to talk about, like the pressure of self-image.” 

The Monday meetings also gave her support if she was “having a bad day” and that they “were a really nice place.” 

According to Aguayo, she brought the group together after a 25-year hiatus of the “Women’s Awareness” club to plan “Girls for Courage.” “Women’s Awareness,” she said, was created because female students often came to her for advice on topics such as self-confidence or bullying, and she wanted to address those issues in a workshop. 

Grieving the death of Audrie Pott, Aguayo felt that the time was right to start up the group again. 

“I feel that it all comes back to a girl’s self-esteem,” Aguayo said. “You need to have empowerment as a young woman to feel good about yourself.”

Sophomore Ursula Bravo, who attended the event for the second time, noted that this year, the number of girls in attendance decreased by about 15.

There were other changes from last year’s event as well. While the 2013 workshop focused on “cliques, clothes and how to be healthy,” Bravo said, this year taught participants how to be kind to themselves and those around them. 

“The workshop really made my day by opening my eyes and giving me a different perspective on myself,” Bravo said.