CJUSD sponsors Girls’ Empowerment Conference

Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) sixth grade girls received important information on self-esteem, tolerance, and kindness at the first CJUSD Girls’ Empowerment Conference, held on Monday, Feb. 29 at Terrace Hills Middle School in Grand Terrace. "The conference brought together 170 girls from Cooley Ranch, Wilson, Grand Terrace and Terrace View Elementary Schools in the first of its kind conference. Smaller, site-based programs have been held in the past, but this is the first time that such a conference involving multiple schools has taken place," said Elementary Counselor Nina Torres. "The conference addressed issues critical to girls getting ready to leave elementary school and move on to middle school. Participants learned about how to make friends and how to respect themselves and appreciate differences in others. These skills will help them to make healthy choices as they get older and move through middle school and into high school," Torres said “We want the students here to embrace their uniqueness and to respect the differences in others while gaining the skills to build healthy relationships /friendships,” Torres said. Activities held at the conference included a skit by a group of Colton High School students showing how a lack of understanding about differences can lead to bullying. The girls then showed the audience how a similar situation could be turned around in a positive way. Girls also practiced looking in mirrors and telling themselves positive messages: “I’m worth it. I’m smart and by golly, I love myself.” Torres and fellow Elementary School Counselor Ashley La Bella hosted the conference. Guest speakers included Colton Police Department Community Resource Officers Todd Smith and Rico Carrillo, radio host Karla Quebec, and Laura Morales, Regional Public Affairs Officer for the League of California Cities. "Overall we want the girls to have self-esteem---to understand their uniqueness and learn to embrace their differences. Each and every individual is unique and special. By embracing the fact that they are different and unique, we believe it gives them the power to make change and gain respect for themselves and for others. We want them to to know it is a power that can't be taken away. If they can recognize and understand that, they can bring a positive change to their campuses," Carrillo said. "CJUSD hopes to have similar events in the future involving more schools as well as an event that targets young men," Torres said. “We want to be able to bring students together in order to create a more diverse and understanding culture for not only current, but future students,” LaBella said. “The message of understanding and tolerance will hopefully stay with them for the rest of their lives.”