Jamestown High School has a new club to support and rally young women called the BRAVE Girls Club. The club began when JHS staff, Lindsey Rensel, Faith Graham, Bonnie Schnars, Carmen Perez, Sue Mead, Betsy Rowe-Baehr and Yanira Castellano decided that when girls count on each other, everyone is better for it.

“It’s important for all students to know that we are rooting for them. But this effort is to rally around females who are seeking a sisterhood,” said JHS teacher Betsy Rowe-Baehr. “It’s encouraging for all of us in the BRAVE circle to hear other stories and to be inspired by others’ strengths. We are really just getting started with how this could make an impact.”

The BRAVE event that took place this fall helped to highlight how empowering females to find worth and value is also a direct correlation to combatting human trafficking. The JHS team of female adults and mentors are taking the initiative to help students dig deeper with this concern and develop the skills and support to cope with life. Any JHS female student who would like to join the effort to build life skills, social supports and strong friendships is invited to the club. Each week there is a different theme (BRAVE friendships, BRAVE goals, BRAVE hearts, etc.) and ultimately, the mission is to use these topics to facilitate meaningful conversations and relationships so that young women feel inspired to pursue themselves in a healthy way.

The BRAVE Girls Club meets every two weeks, but they hope to extend the experience with field trips, community activities, and fun events in the future.