The Real Me: Empowering Girls

The Real Me club is a space for grade 6 girls to gather during the MS lunch period to hear from female role models. The program’s goal is to empower girls to embrace who they are, practice showing up for one another, and leave with kernels of wisdom that older females wish they had known at this younger age. (The Real Me club for sixth grade boys will be offered in the winter.)

Our fall 2022 session is underway. Peyton Zarate ’23 joined the students to speak about her adjustment to Potomac as a new ninth grader and how she balances academics and co-curriculars now, as a senior. Then, club leaders from Girls Learn International (GLI) Selma Elrefai ‘24, Sami Krilla ‘25, and Lola Monroe ‘24 spoke about advocating for equality and why having positive female role models in your life matters. And second grade teacher Joy Webster reflected on the shifting terrain of middle school friendships. She acknowledged the inherent challenges and offered these guiding principles for navigating friendships: stay open, stay strong and true to yourself, and stay on your journey. As a culminating activity, the sixth graders painted rocks with inspirational messages and spread them around our beautiful campus to lift spirits.