Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Face the Race - Sessions


Junior high.  A place where everything is changing, everything can be awkward, and the issues are real.  Face the Race offers junior high girls in the Midland Independent School District a chance to be themselves through the support of community leaders and mentors.  The girls participate in ten after school sessions that are constructed around their interests, leading healthy lifestyles, and building self- confidence. Each after school session is comprised of an ice breaker, presentation, and training for the Face the Race 5K.

Face the Race Committee members carefully selected topics for sessions based on the current needs and curiosities of our participants.  We wanted to be able to impact and meet the needs of the girls through our topics and speakers.  Our participants have heard from various members from our community, some who generously spoke and presented to more than one campus.

Basin PBS attended a session and encouraged every girl to embrace their inner “girl power” and pursue their dreams through with the support of their new program, Girl Power PBS  Career day was also a highlighted Face the Race session. Career day presenters shared their personal journey through education that began in junior high.  They also enlightened the girls with descriptions and details about their unique careers.  Our presenters covered a wide range of jobs in the Permian Basin, such as petroleum engineers, attorneys, realtors, and local business owners.

Healthy lifestyles, relationships, and nutrition information were addressed during sessions that focused on making healthy choices.  The girls learned about the importance of nutrition and balancing exercise in their daily lives from a local fitness instructor, who is also a personal trainer.  Physician assistants educated the participants about their changing bodies through an age appropriate question and answer session. 

Perhaps the most anticipated sessions are the etiquette training and tutu crafting days.   The girls will practice creating a table setting and learn how to write a thank you letter during the etiquette session.  Tutus will be created during the last session so they can wear them on race day.  Gifts  from The Junior League of Midland, Inc. will be given to the girls who have completed eight out of ten sessions. 

It’s an incredible experience to watch the girls grow and bond throughout their journey with Face the Race.  Each week brings a new opportunity to laugh, learn, connect, and run with our junior high girls.  We hope to impact their lives as much as they have ours, and we can’t wait to see them cross the finish line on November 15!

 -Crystal Burchfield, Assistant Chair

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