Fireside Production Client Story: Smart-Girl
Fall is upon us and students are officially back in school! The start of a school year brings the excitement of new classes, new friends and new opportunities; yet all too often this goes hand in hand with piles of homework and busy schedules filled with countless extra-curricular activities. According to a 2014 survey from the American Psychological Association, 83% of teens reported that school was their number one source of stress.
Smart-Girl is a program of Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network, and its mission is to empower young people with the skills and tools they need to become confident, capable and self-reliant young adults. One of those skills is managing stress – something that is extremely important when it comes to dealing with the many challenges that present themselves throughout the school year.
In a group setting led by high school or college students, middle schoolers in the Smart-Girl program tackle a number of activities that foster communication skills (using “I feel…” statements), problem solving (using their “wizard brain” and thinking through situations instead of using their “lizard” brain which is their automatic emotional response) and identifying what they have control over in their lives, and what they don’t.
Not only does developing skills in these arenas help them survive middle school, it also helps them thrive throughout their lives. For more information about the program and to learn about summer camp programming, please visit www.smart-girl.org.
