We truly believe in our students and we know they can become future leaders. Once THEY know it, they will go far in this world.
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The Titusville Academy school counselor, Ashley Helstowski, knows it is critical for her students to have a vision for their future, so as part of transition services, she took a group of high school girls to two events designed to inspire, engage and empower.
At the Women’s Future Leadership Forum held in Princeton earlier this spring, girls from Titusville Academy were among more than fifty from area high schools.
They took part in a unique program designed for young urban women, and had the opportunity to learn from female role models through a panel discussion as well as one-on-one mentoring.
During the program, participants heard from successful women about how they got started. Then, each girl also worked 1:1 with a mentor to develop a “pitch” for an interview for college, a job or an internship.
Diasia McRae is a senior who has been at TTA since her freshman year. A Trenton native, she plans to become a pediatric nurse, starting off with an 8-week program that will let her work as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
“Her pitch was to talk about children and what gives her passion about the field of nursing,” said Helstowski. “She got a lot of feedback and support from mentors, and from the other girls there,” added Helstowski.
Girls from Titusville Academy also took part in a program offered by Women of the Dream (WOD).
WOD, a national non-profit, engages successful African-American women who have risen to leadership positions in professions such as media, education, medicine, social work, public health, and law. They use their success to empower and inspire a new generation of African-American girls.
The teens from Titusville joined more than 200 other girls, and learned first-hand about the personal struggles of successful women who achieved their dreams. Sessions focused on empowering girls to be strong, work hard, and not to accept things they do not believe in.
“Events like these are so important because the skills and messages we are teaching at school get reinforced,” said Helstowski. “The girls kept smiling at me and saying, ‘Miss H –they were telling us everything you tell us’.”
“We truly believe in our students and we know they can become future leaders. Once THEY know it, they will go far in this world,” added Helstowski.