Annual Girls Summit draws nearly 400 high schoolers
About 350 high school girls attended Sussex County Girls Summit for a day of workshops, motivational activities and inspirational speakers focusing on optimism.
Keynote speaker Brittany Hazzard, a social worker at Love Creek Elementary, told students they are role models who set the standard for other students. “Your standard is a set of qualities you exude, and no matter what, you stick to them and follow through,” she said. “Keep your standards, and help other young ladies grow.”
As a child, she said, she lived in low-income housing in Georgetown with her mother and brother. “What I saw in my community made me want to help my community,” she said. “I saw a lot of crime, and it was sad for me.”
Through the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program, Hazzard said she worked at Family Court in Georgetown, and later interned there while in college. “I was there working and saw my basketball teammate arrested,” she said. “We had just played together a couple days before.”
Hazzard said her work and church family pushed her to stay positive so she could in turn encourage her friends. She told students to avoid toxic relationships, arguments and drama.
“Don’t let noise keep you from hearing the melody of life,” she said. “Set goals, have a mentor and plan to succeed. Look at what holds you back, change your mind-set and redirect.”
Sponsored by Pathways to Success, the Nov. 7 event in Georgetown featured breakout sessions on yoga, optimism and wellness. Students from Cape Henlopen, Sussex Tech, Woodbrige, Seaford and Milford high schools attended the daylong summit.
Pathways to Success provides in-school and after-school mentoring to at-risk youth and community outreach to families. Call 302-381-6414 or go to www.pathways-2-success.org.
