GROW Girls Event Welcomes Tessa Virtue

Thursday, 28 November 2019 07:51

Grade nine high school students who identify as females from all five secondary schools in Woodstock will hear Olympic Gold Medalist Tessa Virtue speak today.

WOODSTOCK - Olympics gold medallist Tessa Virtue is the keynote speaker this year at the Grow Girls Event in Woodstock.

Grade nine high school students who identify as females from all five secondary schools in Woodstock will be at the event today at the Calvary Church. CASS Principal Tiffany Birtch explains how this event got started.

"Grow girls is the brainchild of grade 12 student MaKenna Hall last year and it is truly planned and student led initiative for students here in the Woodstock area. As a student, Makenna has identified a need in the area of female-identified students coming together to help build each other up and build self-confidence through a shared experience. With Woodstock being such a close knit community, Makenna and teacher leaders have reached out to the other schools in the community to build this network of support. It has been wonderful to see the enthusiasm by the other schools to support this day. Student and teacher leaders from several of the schools have given voice to and have been a part of the planning process."

She notes everyone is really excited to have Olympic Gold Medalist Tessa Virtue in town as the keynote speaker.

"I think it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our students to hear from someone who has persevered, who is resilient, who has set some lofty goals and met those goals."

GROWgoals:

G - Grow positivity and self-confidence in youth (empowerment)

R - Recognize and connect with the supports in the Woodstock community

O - Opportunity to see yourself as a leader

W - Working on yourself through personal wellness

Birtch says they also have Men of Quality program happening at CASS in the morning for grade nine students who identify as male.

It will feature Mano Watsa who will speak about the Power to Choose; continuing our focus on HOPE = Having Only Positive Expectations.