Thomas Lynn | The Valdosta Daily TimesThe American University of Women facilitated its 20th Annual Sister-to-Sister Middle School Girls Summit at Valdosta State’s University Center.

VALDOSTA — The American University of Women facilitated its 20th annual Sister-to-Sister Middle School Girls Summit earlier this month at Valdosta State’s University Center. 

The preparations, the summit and the life-changing journeys beyond the summit have historically created an inner strength among young women of middle school age and beyond.

During a six-month timeline, the AAUW Valdosta affiliate members Quita Jones, a Lowndes County Middle School counselor, Jamie Hill, a teacher at Pine Grove Middle School, and many dedicated planning committee members developed discussions and pooled various ideas for the 20th annual middle school girl’s summit titled “Connecting Life’s Dots.”

Workshops were led by a variety of motivating facilitators to discuss issues that make each day challenging during the adolescent stage of their lives.

Historically, issues dealing with peer pressure, self-esteem and the ability to make good life choices have been the focus.  

During the past seven years, cyber-safety workshops have been added along with a focus on afternoon science, technology, engineering and math activities which promote more interest in science careers for women, according to oganizers.

Eighty-five girls attended from Valdosta, Lowndes, Brooks County, Pine Grove Middle, Newbern Middle, Brian County Middle and Open Bible Baptist Church School. They attended sessions on strategies to help them socially, academically, emotionally and vocationally connect the dots of their life, organizers said. 

Whitney Zwitzer and Kimberly Patrick, graduate students in school counseling at Valdosta State University, moderated a panel answering questions “relating to the application process, scholarship opportunities and time management with friendship and school demands and most importantly setting priorities to make going through college an effective journey of learning,” according to organizers. 

This question-and-answer morning segment heightened the girls’ curiosity about college life, organizers said. 

Valdosta Affiliate President Dr. Beverly Richardson-Blake, senior academic biology advisor at VSU, introduced her daughter, Brittanye Blake, a junior in mass media at VSU, who gave the girls more food for thought.  

During the second part of the summit, middle school girls participated in activities including a planetarium experience presented by Dr. Martha Leake, professor at VSU; “Where Science & Justice Meets” presented by LaFaith Phillips and Jordan Greene, criminalists at the Valdosta Police Department: “Stem Up the Hidden Figures” presented by Dr. Diane Thomas, Valdosta Middle School math teacher; and “Can you Ken-Ken” presented by Patricia Barrett-White, math instructor at VSU. 

The VSU setting has allowed the attending middle school girls to have a college day experience, which has helped each girl to feel more comfortable setting college as a reachable goal, according to organizers.

Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256