Big Walnut Local Schools is launching a new program focusing on girls and the issues they face.
On Monday, March 14, at the Big Walnut High School auditorium, Lisa Hinkelman, author of “Girls Without Limits: Helping Girls Achieve Healthy Relationships, Academic Success and Interpersonal Strength,” will join with the school district to launch “ROX.”
Hinkelman is the founder and executive director of “Ruling Our eXperiences” (ROX), a nonprofit organization that provides evidence-based empowerment programming for girls.
Big Walnut Intermediate School Assistant Principal Sarah Wytzka and intermediate school counselor Molly Fortune said last week that the ROX workshop and program, sponsored by Tracy’s Kenpo of Sunbury, would explore issues and challenges facing girls at Big Walnut, and ways that adults can help them.
“This is a kickoff event for the implementation of Big Walnut’s ROX program,” Wytzka said. “The evening will be customized to include data from Big Walnut students, and will also include research and insights based on Lisa’s work with more than 4,000 girls over the past decade.”
Wytzka said parents, educators and committed community members who attend the kickoff workshop will hear what’s going on with Big Walnut girls, and learn about the top social, educational, health, safety and interpersonal issues school-age girls face.
Wytzka said attendees would also learn about the daily challenges girls face, what girls want and need from their parents and teachers, and learn concrete strategies to work with and communicate with girls more effectively.
Wytzka said ROX would be funded similar to the school district’s Challenge Day program – no school district dollars will be used. Tracy’s Kenpo will fund the initial program, followed by grant writing for future funding.
“ROX is currently all over the Midwest but, because it’s new to Big Walnut, we’ll start on a smaller scale,” Wytzka said. “As older students get involved, we’ll develop these groups as peer models. To kick the program off, we would like to invite parents, educators and community members to join us and learn some great strategies for working with girls and understanding the challenges they’re facing today.”
Hinkelman will present the ROX workshop from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 14 at the school auditorium. Wytzka said there would also be time for questions and answers from 8:30 to 9 p.m.
For more information, contact Big Walnut Intermediate school counselor Molly Fortune at [email protected].
To learn more about Lisa Hinkelman and ROX, go to rulingourexperiences.org.
