Greetings!
March brought opportunities to celebrate the accomplishments of women in history while also having meaningful conversations around issues impacting women today. On International Women’s Day, 6th grade history students took a moment to share the women who inspire them. Girls shared the names of female athletes, humanitarians, and scientists, and many shared that their mothers inspire them the most. In the Upper School, The Council for the Advancement of Girls, in partnership with the Black Student Union, led dialogue around the disportionate impacts COVID-19 has had on black women and asked the question, “How can we as a nation support black women during the pandemic?” It was wonderful to see these moments of celebration and support across our community.
Warmly,
Morgan Pease
Interim Director of Programs, Center for the Advancement of Girls
Initiative Spotlights
International Women’s Day Celebration!
International Women’s Day brought some extra joy to campus with a beautiful purple flower wall — complete with fun and empowered props. Students and teachers had the opportunity to grab a quick photo in celebration of the day. Many students in the US and MS also participated in a free dress for a cause, raising $317 for No More Secrets, a nonprofit organization addressing period poverty in Philadelphia. Members of the Council for Advancement of girls acknowledged the day by passing out lollipops with handwritten notes of affirmation to all students on campus, and mailed them to our virtual learners.
Antecedents of Purpose Development Study
The Agnes Irwin School, in collaboration with two other independent girls’ schools and researchers at Boston College, Rivier University, and Wingate University, is studying the factors that contribute to stress and well-being in girls within high-achieving communities.The study, entitled "Antecedents of Purpose Development," will investigate why girls report lower levels of well-being and greater stress compared to boys, yet significantly outpace them by most academic measures.
Emerging research suggests that purpose can be the antidote to stress and pressure, and a clearer view of purpose can help girls pursue the goals and ambitions that are most meaningful to them. Participating students will complete online questionnaires over the next few weeks. In addition, a subset of girls will be selected to participate in Zoom interviews over the next year in order to develop a detailed picture of their sense of purpose and well-being in their lives. When the results of this research become available in late 2021, The Agnes Irwin School and its families will have new information to guide concrete, evidence-based measures that can help match girls' high levels of achievement with equally high levels of well-being. We are inviting Upper School students in grades 10-12 to participate in the study.
The Alumnae Lunch Speaker Series is Back in April!
Upper School students will be invited to virtually engage with alumnae during lunch time. Each alumna will share how they harnessed the power of their voice to navigate their journey through AIS and beyond! Shakirah Tabourn ‘10 will join us on April 13, and Emily Geer Hippler ‘96 will speak on April 26.
Resource
See It To Be It: The Power of HERstory - NCGS Pep Talks Podcast
This podcast discusses the importance of including the historical stories and experiences of women in curriculum.