The Jenna Druck Foundation is set to host San Diego’s inaugural Young Women’s Leadership middle school program “Pretty, Hot and Popular” on Saturday, July 19. It will be held at the McMillin Event Center in Point Loma, 2875 Dewey Road, from 9 a.m. to noon.
This will the be the foundation’s first program with a middle school audience after hosting 12 years of leadership programs for high school girls in the past. Deciding to extend their scope to the middle school crowd was based on the route of today’s society, presenting girls with issues they would normally come up against during high school at an earlier age.
“We think it’s vital to reach them and support them at this time in their life,” said program director Leanne Tibiatowski. “We really hope to provide communities that can help them feel strong as they are transitioning into high school.”
Self-esteem as a path to leadership is the program’s focus. It will be facilitated by Jess Weiner, global ambassador for Dove’s Self-Esteem campaign. The intent is to create a day during which the girls will come together to explore what it means to be “pretty, hot and popular” from within ” discovering their true inner beauty and strength ” rather than society’s traditional disposition and display, said Tibiatowski.
The girls who will attend have been nominated by teachers, counselors, parents and high school girls who were present at a March conference and given pay-it-forward coupons to invite younger girls to attend. Available to all nominees will be complimentary refreshments, goodie bags and scholarships. Seats are still available.
“Our goal is to have a diverse cross-section of girls from throughout San Diego. In big groups like this, we want to make invisible any socioeconomic barriers that might not bring the girls together otherwise,” said Tibiatowski.
Dr. Ken Druck founded the Jenna Druck Foundation in 1996 in honor of his daughter, Jenna, who was killed in an accident at age 21.
To nominate or register girls contact the Jenna Druck Foundation at (619) 294-8000. For additional information visit www.JennaDruck.org.