Tuesday, March 19, 2024

This free camp will teach girls in Hampton Roads about independence, setting goals and life skills

On Oct. 6, teenage girls throughout Hampton Roads can attend the annual Girls Camp at An Achievable Dream Middle and High school in Newport News.

The Girls Camp is a free one-day event to teach girls ages 13-18 about independence, setting goals and other life skills.

Volunteers will teach workshops that range from body image, self-esteem and healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. The girls will also have a chance to win prizes.

Tina Vick, the vice mayor of Newport News, started the event in 2013 as a preventative measure to educate and empower girls from making bad decisions in regards to finishing school, job training, financial independence and having children at a young age.

“A majority of decisions they make now will determine what will happen later,” Vick said.

This year, the event will have two new workshops about sexting and self-defense titled “Not Me” instead of “me too.”

Vick said there will be “no sugarcoating” during the workshops and hopes to have a police officer present for the sexting portion to help girls understand the ramifications of sending naked pictures of themselves.

In addition to the workshops, participants will also hear from a panel of women to show the girls that it’s possible to have a career without a degree.

Vick, who grew up in public housing in downtown Newport News, wants girls to see the women and say “she made it and she’s from down here, so I can make it too.”

The panel speakers include Teunsha Vick, a real estate agent in Newport News, Nikki Finely, a business professor from Hampton University, and Renita Parker, a computer specialist and founder of the nonprofit Good Seed, Good Ground.

The 2018 5th annual Girls Camp will be at An Achievable Dream Middle and High School, 5720 Marshall Ave., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The 5th annual Girls Camp will be at the Achievable Dream Middle and High School on Saturday, Oct. 6 in Newport News (HNNDaily Photo/ Courtesy of the City of Newport News)
(HNNDaily Photo/ Courtesy of the City of Newport News)

Lunch and snacks will be provided. Registration is required and seating is limited to the first 100 girls.

For information, call 757-751-2933 or email tinalvick@gmail.com.

Julia Marsigliano
Julia Marsiglianohttp://wydaily.com
Julia Marsigliano is a multimedia reporter for WYDaily. She covers everything on the Peninsula from local government and law enforcement agencies to family-run businesses and weather updates. Before WYDaily, she covered Hampton and Newport News for WYDaily’s sister publication, HNNDaily before both publications merged in December 2018. Julia was born in Tokyo, Japan and moved to Long Island, New York in 2001. A true New Yorker, she loves pizza, bagels and good Chinese food. Send comments, tips and other tidbits to julia@localvoicemedia.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @jmarsigliano

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