GIRLS’ Day 2021 Sees Students Become Teachers

A day devoted to students becoming the teachers, GIRLS’ Day is a unique opportunity for Chatham Hall community members to learn more about each other’s passions. 

“We ask students to fill out a proposal about what they might like to share, how they might like to share it, why it’s meaningful to them, and what they think the community will get out of it. It always starts with the girls,” said coordinator Kirsten Blaesing.

Following a proposal acceptance, each student workshop facilitator works with a mentor selected as part of the proposal. Students not only put together the content of their workshops, but also think through the ideal campus location, practice presenting and facilitating, work on their presentation timing, and along the way refine what may have started as a big idea into a manageable 40-minute workshop.

“GIRLS’ Day is a great opportunity for our students to build resilience,” noted Blaesing. “They hit roadblocks and challenges, and have to pause and work their way through them. This is not an easy task for them to take on. They don’t get an academic credit for it, they don’t have free periods or class periods to work on it, this is them sharing their passions because they love them and because they want the community to share in them. This is above and beyond everything else they do here.”

For Talley Roberts ‘21, this year’s workshop “Save the Oceans” was her third year of participating as a GIRLS’ Day presenter. She helped the campus community gain a better understanding of how they can impact the environment, for better or for worse, as well as what goes on under the water and ultimately how to protect the world’s oceans.

“It was never hard for me to get ready for my workshops because I loved learning about the topic I was presenting and I loved educating other people, so all of the research I did just came easily. I was always nervous about presenting in front of other people, but because I have done presentations for the last two years, it has now made me more comfortable and confident when talking in front of a group of people,” she said.

“The most important thing about Chatham Hall offering GIRLS’ Day is that it always seems to bring our community so much closer together. It allows the community to learn a little more about the people that we are surrounded by every day and it allows us to have our voices heard about stuff that is important to us. This day is also always so much fun all around.” 

 

Maggie Gilluly ‘23, a first-time GIRLS’ Day presenter, co-hosted “Beads and Bling: It’s a Mardi Gras Thing” allowing the community to learn about and experience a little of the Mardi Gras season.

“I think GIRLS’ Day is so cool and so fun. I love having a chance to switch things up again so that students get to teach something, and faculty and staff get to learn something new. It’s a great thing the school offers,” she said.

 

“I’m definitely learning presentation skills, including how to engage a crowd and how to get everyone excited and motivated for what I’m presenting. It’s super fun.”

This year, an alumna even joined the line-up with Imani Brooks ‘16 speaking to the School on her involvement with Girl Up, a movement to advance girls’ skills, rights, and opportunities to be leaders, and founding the Chatham Hall Girl Up club. She also discussed the stepping stones of her life that have brought her to where she is now, and graciously answered questions from students, faculty, and staff.

For Blaesing,  student excitement is paramount and her thoughts on the day echoes Roberts’ and Gilluly’s.

“I absolutely love GIRLS’ Day. It’s just awesome.”

Learn more about each of the sessions offered here and see more photos on the School's SmugMug account.