In response to the pandemic and the changes in communities and schools, Girls Empowerment Network created a one-of-a-kind resource for families and educators by adapting its unique in-school curriculum provide activities directly to girls in 3rd-8th grade.
The Back-to-School Spark Kit is the second edition of its popular new Spark Kit series inspired by the organization’s Six Cs that help girls feel unstoppable and increase self-efficacy — confidence, coping skills, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. High interest in the first Spark Kit led Girls Empowerment Network to move from regional distributions of Spark Kits in Austin and Houston, to a statewide outreach effort, helping more Texas girls in more cities across the state – and beyond.
The Back-to-School Spark Kit gives girls the grit and resiliency they need to succeed in school. With mental health awareness, identity, values, stress management, and goal setting themes and activities, girls will feel more confident in their ability to thrive as students, no matter how different school looks this year. Each Spark Kit includes:
- a journal with 25+ self-guided activities and all supplies needed; and,
- daily 1:1 and group virtual access to Girls Empowerment Network’s girl experts and other girls their age.
Each Back-to-School Spark Kits is uniquely decorated with inspiring messages by volunteers, and will give girls the opportunity to be creative and critically think with activities like:
- A Self-Love Mirror – She identifies qualities about herself she appreciates and writes positive affirmations on a mini mirror, practicing positive self-talk.
- Mood Tracker – She practices self-awareness and emotional intelligence by noting how she feels each day.
- Big Mood Volcano – She makes a colorful, erupting volcano with baking soda and vinegar, while also learning how to prevent and deal with and emotional eruptions in a healthy way
- Goal Setting Grit Fish – She learns to keep swimming towards goals by making a fish with scales that also identifies the steps, people, and attitudes she needs to help to help achieve her goals.
“Girls are going back to school in different ways in 2020. Some are in their living rooms and others are entering socially distanced classrooms with unfamiliar routines and new rules,” says Sidney Copus, Associate Director of Program Advancement at Girls Empowerment Network. “Going back to school means learning in a new and different way. Our Back-to-School Spark Kits are here to help girls build their self-efficacy through fun, engaging activities, discover new tools and techniques, and also have a connection to our community of girl experts and other girls who are all navigating our changing world.”
There are 1,000 Back-to-School Spark Kits available now, and each one has interactive activities for girls from now until November 20, 2020, making it relevant all fall semester long.
Back-to-School Spark Kits are made possible with support of donors and sponsors, making the cost to families and schools only $35 with two-day shipping, calculated at checkout. The value of each Spark Kit is $500 per kit.
About Girls Empowerment Network – www.girlsempowermentnetwork.org
Girls Empowerment Network’s mission is to ignite the power in girls by teaching them the skills to thrive and believe in their ability to be unstoppable. Founded in 1996, Girls Empowerment Network envisions a world where all girls believe in their power.
