On my first day at Girls Inc. we went on a field trip to a state park where we spent the day swimming in a lake. When I first got to Girls Inc. in the morning, I was a little intimidated. I didn't know any of the campers or the counselors. It felt a little bit like my first day of school back in first grade. I walked into the gym and just kind of stood there. (Awkward, I know!) But within a short 30 seconds, another counselor had already befriended me and we were hula hooping with the girls. The Girls Inc summer camp has girls ranging from 6 years old to 17 years old. It is weird to think about how some of the girls at the camp are my age, however, you can tell that the older girls definitely have more responsibility than the younger ones. Anyways, by the time we were ready to get on the bus and leave for the beach, I already had girls asking to sit with me on the bus! My sister, who has previously worked at Girls Inc, told me that there were definitely going to be girls who were more receptive to unfamiliar faces than others, and she wasn't kidding. With my first two days complete, there are still girls that haven't talked to me, but there are also girls who I feel have attached themself to me by the hip! Certain campers are always trying to hold your hand or trying to get a hug. Though it is very cute, it gets annoying kind of quickly. In the expectations for student learning discussed in my proposal, adaptability was a big thing I wanted to improve upon. I think that this experience has already made me become a lot more patience with children and started to make me "go with the flow" a little more rather than following a strict schedule. That is one thing I admire about my mentor; she doesn't let the little things throw her off. I tend to get annoyed fairly easily and am short tempered. Karen makes me realize that even with 32 girls in your face screaming, you can remain calm and still function without yelling and losing your cool.
I sat on the bus on the way to and from the beach reading my book for my research, while jotting down notes. I not only was taking notes about what I was reading, but also on things I heard Karen and the other girls saying. One important thing that stood out to me in my book was the message of the "box" most teenage girls find themselves in at one point of another: "The message of the girl box is to do more, be more, give more--because you are never good enough, never pretty enough, never smart enough, never sexy enough, never enough." This quote got me thinking about the potential that all of the girls in camp have. What if none of them we forced into this mental box? Life could be so much simpler if we along with our peers didn't put so much pressure on us to be perfect. I know that in my life, the message of the box has been the cause of tons of stress and anxiety. Think about how much more productive I could have been if I hadn't allowed myself to fall into the box. This summer, I want to help the girls at Girls Inc. feel good about themselves so they can avoid falling into the box like I did. 
Day Two:
"Holy Banana-Rama!" That’s what one camper said to me to describe a fairly insignificant event that had just taken place. The girls tend to exaggerate a lot of things. One girl pointing out that she is 8 to a girl that is only 7 years old turns quickly into "so and so hates me because I'm younger than her and they were making fun of me for it." Little fights like this leave me saying "Holy Banana-Rama" at the end of my day as I walk to my car. The girls certainly have a lot of energy and know how to wear me out! It's only 8:45 PM and I'm ready for bed! Today we did a lot of small group activities at camp, consisting of everything from making squawking chickens out of plastic cups and sponges and playing in the hose outside, to creating cheers about this week’s theme of "Strong, Smart, and Bold." Although the majority of activities don't directly talk about the mission of Girls Inc, they all force the girls too interact with each other and work on skills like listening, teamwork, and helpfulness. Most of the girls probably see camp as a fun place where they get to hang out with friends all day, but unknown to them, Karen and the other staff are teaching them valuable life skills.
We had a long talk today at camp about the seven colors you can earn in a week at Girls Inc. A color is earned for displaying good character in areas like respectfulness, responsibility, honesty, attitude, ect. However the in order to earn the color orange, the campers have to do something special: a personal challenge. Early on in the week they need to approach their counselor with something they want to learn. If they can do it by Friday, they earn their color (and the added bonus of CONFIDENCE!) For example, a camper could set their goal as tying their shoes if they did not already know how. Small victories like learning to tie your shoes on your own and positive reinforcement for those are great confidence builders. I can tell that some girls are really starting to see me as a role model. When one girl was getting picked up by her mother today, she ran up to me and gave me a big hug saying how she was sad she wouldn’t get to see me next week because she was going to a difference camp. It made me feel good knowing that in two short days, I was able to develop such a strong bond with a camper.
In the time I have been at Girls Inc. so far, the staff has all been great! My project is all based around having positive role models. I can tell that all of the campers look up to their counselors and to Karen. Girls Inc. has small rules for the staff, like not wearing two piece bathing suits, that actually can make a bigger impact than initially imaginable. If the girls see their counselors (role models) wearing sport-cut, one piece swimwear, less importance will be places on physical beauty in their minds. So, although I did get a little annoyed having to buy a one piece bathing suit, I totally can see how it is worth it. Being a positive role model for the girls is very important, and so far in my two days I have tried my best to learn from the counselors and Karen about displaying a positive image for the young ladies. I have also learned a lot from the campers. On this journey, it is important for me to remember to, as stated in the book I am reading for research, "Be amazed at what powerful teachers little girls can be." I am learning a lot from this experience about myself and my own self-esteem and confidence. How can I be a good teacher for them, if I am not confident in myself? I am addressing some of my own issues in order to be better for them. So far, this has been a great experience, and I'm sure the best is yet to come!
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