By Kim Hilsenbeck.
A recent clubGEN after school club program at Wallace Middle School in Kyle taught female sixth graders about the notion of genuine beauty.
Rachel Thrift, club GEN program manager, explained.
“We did a campaign on genuine beauty,” she said. “They were learning about Photoshop and the affects of image on self-esteem.”
The club leader showed students photos before and after they were altered in Photoshop design software. The changes were dramatic.
At top: Members of the Wallace Middle School clubGEN enjoyed career day talks on Monday from local woman who are successful in their fields. The club, which runs weekly throughout the school year, is provided by GENaustin, a nonprofit helping girls navigate the unique pressures of girlhood. (Photo by Stephanie Hooton) |
“Girls have such negativity about themselves, their images and their bodies,” Thrift said. “We were just trying to plant the seed that [the] images [they see] are not attainable, because they’re not real.”
She said the girls’ reactions were kind of sad.
“They are grossed out by the before pictures. They are so used to seeing Photoshopped images,” she said. “They think the ‘after’ is beauty and ‘before’ is not.”
She said it makes sense since they are constantly bombarded by images – on TV in magazines and online – just like the ones shown in the club.
But then, Thrift said, something interesting happened.
“Their attitudes shifted into being angry because they’ve been lied to,” she said. “[The club offers] an educational component in a safe environment to process those feelings.”
ClubGEN is a program of GENaustin, where GEN stands for Girls Empowerment Network – a nonprofit that came on the scene 17 years ago. Its mission is to support and guide girls to make wise choices as they navigate the unique pressures of girlhood.
Right now, the club is only offered at Wallace Middle School.
Funding is an issue. The girls, about 10-12 per club, pay nothing. Money comes from anywhere GENaustin can find it; schools, grants, private companies.
Laura Bond Williams, a public relations consultant who works with GENaustin, said clubs cost a few hundred dollars per girl, per school year, which covers time for a clubGEN campus coordinator, program curriculum development, evaluation and supplies.
On Monday, clubGEN hosted a career week program. Kyle’s Mayor Lucy Johnson was one of several local women in successful careers who spoke at the event.
Thrift said talks like that help the girls, who come from all walks of life, show the girls that most any career path is possible.
She would like to see clubGEN expand at Hays CISD, saying GENaustin used to run the club in several schools.
“We’ve had to cut back on schools serviced in Hays – the schools are not able to provide funds,” she said.
Another GENaustin club, called 180, is currently running in Wallace and Chapa middle schools as well as both Hays and Lehman high schools. That club is specific to students at risk for being in the juvenile justice system.
But clubGEN is open to any girl who wants to participate. Funding, of course, is an issue.
“We’re always looking for creative ways to find funding,” Thrift said.
To learn more about GENaustin and clubGEN, visit genaustin.org.
