Girls Summit draws hundreds of teens
The Sussex County Girls Summit drew more than 200 high school girls to the Atlantic Sands hotel in Rehoboth for a day of workshops, motivational activities and speakers.
Life choices, relationships, career, identity and education dominated breakout sessions, speeches and conversation at the first-ever event, sponsored by Pathways to Success Inc., a community outreach program that works to prepare young people and their families for successful lives.
With a female disc-jockey spinning the latest hits after motivational morning breakout sessions, energy was high as more than 225 young women, ages 15 to 18 years old, gathered in the Swan Ballroom for lunch and life lessons from WMDT news anchor and keynote speaker Lenita Wesson.
Outlining a path
Wesson shared her personal story of rediscovering her lifelong passion for broadcasting in college after she initially studied biology.
"You have to want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe," she said. "Follow your passion and outline a plan for success."
After sharing her college experiences, the anchorwoman encouraged her teenage audience to live a life of integrity and service, no matter what path they choose.
"You can be an example by being a person of integrity," Wesson said. "It is not enough to say you want to do it, you have to have a plan for your success – otherwise it's just a dream."
A speaker from Delaware Technical Community College encouraged the young women to learn about their strengths and talents and use this information in choosing a career.
Tearing down barriers
Still other mental health workers led sessions to aide students in identifying barriers that may prevent them from realizing their full potential and brainstorm ways to overcome these obstacles.
Seaford 10th-grader Kaylah Jenkins said she found the Girls Summit an enjoyable educational and social experience. Although this was her first event with the organization, Jenkins hopes to continue her involvement with Pathways to Success.
"I loved it; it's something I would love to be a part of," she said. "This is a way for all the girls to come together and interact with each other. It's very motivating."
Executive Director Faye Blake also shared her story of struggle as the single mother of two children fighting for an education, long before she founded Pathways to Success.
Eventually, Blake said she worked her way up into a position with a six-figure paycheck, but she left the position in order to start Pathways to Success.
"I walked away because of each and every one of you here," she said to her assembly of 225 teenage girls. "You have greatness inside you. I need each and every one of you to act upon that greatness inside you."
For more information about upcoming events and outreach through Pathways to Success, go to www.pathways-2-success.org.
