February 3, 2023
Students in our high schools and middle schools are learning important skills while showing their girl power thanks to our ROX programs!
ROX, or Ruling Our Experiences, promotes leadership, positivity, empowerment, and making healthy choices in middle and high school girls. This will allow them to grow into confident women.
Recently, girls from ROX programs at our three middle schools and three high schools got together to learn important skills and have meaningful discussions all centered around girl empowerment.
A highlight of the day was a self-defense class taught by our ROX-trained staff members in our buildings. Girls also participated in team-building exercises, had discussions on how to be a good leader and have positive self-esteem, and talked with a guest speaker about positive and healthy relationships.
Marian Armstrong, a counselor at Parma High who helped organize the day-long event, said each building has a ROX program which is run through the guidance department.
“Last year Valley Forge hosted the high schools for this annual event, and this year, we included the middle school students as well,” she described. “Students are selected who have exhibited leadership skills within their buildings.”
One thing that Armstrong enjoyed about the day was seeing high school and middle school students interact.
“Mentorship is such an important role in leadership,” she shared. “Our older ROX students did an amazing job making their younger counterparts feel welcome and involved. Our middle school students really did a great job in participating. Hopefully, friendships were started!”
If there was one thing that Armstrong hoped girls took away from the event, it would be for our students to know their worth.
“I want all of our young women to know they are worthy and have value,” she expressed. “We have power, and we have choices. By putting girls in situations where they learn their value and worth, we hope that it will help them to become successful and happy citizens in the future. They are exceptional individuals with limitless potential!”
