"Perfect as I am" Mentoring Presentation at Fountain Green Elementary

As a little girl I aspired to be a teacher, just like my favorite teachers at Fountain Green Elementary School.  I had my very own classroom in the basement with desks my grandad had built.  I stole extra worksheets out of the recycling box, created posters, and made my family play "class".  I had books with excerpts and assigned projects; I have been preparing for my opportunity to present my program "Perfect as I am" at Fountain Green Elementary for a very long time. 

As a Fountain Green Falcon myself, it was wonderful returning to my school and walking down the very same hallways I did as a 7 year old.  When I spoke with the schools guidance counselor about my dedication to service and desire to promote my personal platform, she greeted me with open arms.  "Perfect as I am" is a program I have developed to inspire girls and young women to embrace their bodies, respect themselves, and appreciate others by focusing on good self esteem and positive body image.  With the 5th grade girls at Fountain Green we discussed the tough transition from elementary to middle school and the challenges that they will face.

A recurring issue that is only continuing to evolve with the use of new technology is social bullying.  Rumors, "fat talk", and intentional exclusion run rampant amongst girls and young women.  My experience with social bullying along with other factors manifested itself as an eating disorder.  My hope is that by preventing these bullying behaviors, the 5th grade girls with go into middle school with strong self esteem.  We discussed how social bullying can affect the way we feel about ourselves, and how that can mirror the way in which we treat others.  We talked about what we can do to everyday to recognize our peers, appreciate their friendship, and feel confident going into middle school.  So many of them shared their feelings and all of them trusted and respected their peers.

I immensely enjoyed speaking with the 5th grade girls at Fountain Green and I cannot wait to be back to see them soon! I hope I have made a difference in at least one of their lives by sharing my experiences and my triumphs in the face of adversity.