More Than A Selfie
October 17, 2016
For the past three years, SJCS middle school girls have been excited to stay after school on our minimum days. It wasn’t for sports or extra credit—it was to hang out with their teachers.
Our teachers have taken advantage of the minimum days by leading a mentor group specifically designed for middle school girls. “More Than a Selfie” exists to help students navigate the challenges of being a girl in our society today.
The mission of the group is to “impact the lives and faith of middle school girls at SJCS through establishing personal relationships and having intentional conversations and activities.”
And the girls LOVE it. Participation is completely voluntary, yet we have had over 90% of middle school girls come to every event. Events this year have included a pizza party pep rally in August, get-to-know-you mixer games in September, and our recent October event.
On Thursday, October 13th, the Selfie group leaders brought 22 sixth and seventh grade girls to the mall for a meal and lots of laughter (8th graders were in Oregon). After lunch, the girls were informed of their mission: complete a scavenger hunt to find random items and incognito SJCS mall walkers. The SJCS hidden team included: Janelle Hendricks, Alex Bost, Suzie Van Ewyk, Lynn Hossink, Ashley Laverman, and Betsy Phillips—all wearing disguises. Points were awarded for objects and people found, and the laughter was contagious!
Events like the mall scavenger hunt allow our students to see their teachers as real people. These type of bonding activities open the door for deeper conversations about faith and who we are as children of God. We stress that we need to find our identity in God, not in what our culture tells us we should be. Please keep the group in your prayers as we continue to work with middle school girls throughout the year.
Upcoming Events:
December 2: Sweet Tooth Showdown and Sock Exchange
January 25 and March 16: Jen Hatmaker's Brave Girl study
May 12: 8th Grade Dinner and Dessert Night with a panel of SJCS alumni and former Selfie graduates