During advisory period on any given Wednesday or Thursday, 35 Briarhill Middle School students gather for their BeYOUtiful Club meeting. Girls in any grade level are invited to join, led by Briarhill staff members Jennifer Andrews, Rebecca Bonner, and Desiree Beard. Though the club has several goals the main idea is simple - to empower girls at Briarhill and beyond.
“Our purpose is to give girls an opportunity to feel empowered,” Andrews said. “[We want them to] gain self-awareness, develop positive coping strategies, improve daily problem solving skills, feel connected with other girls, and make healthy decisions as they grow through middle school.”
The club also prioritizes community service throughout the school year. This year they adopted three students in LISD’s Adopt an Angel drive, raised money to provide items to Refugee Services of Texas, and are currently planning a fundraiser for Denton County Friends of the Family.
To celebrate both their internal and external work, the club hosted a luncheon in the Briarhill Middle School library on Thursday, April 6th. Female mentors from across the district came, including some high school students from Marcus High School. The mentors enjoyed encouraging these young students and giving them advice for the future.
Lewisville High School alum and current Southern Methodist Law School student Madison Lopez gave the keynote speech at the event, focusing on the importance of friendships. “My mom always said that in order to have a friend, you have to be a friend,” she told the group. Lopez went on to describe how befriending some of her middle school Chin classmates changed the trajectory of her life. Meeting these students and growing close with them not only taught Lopez about maintaining friendships, but also inspired a passion for refugee rights. This passion would fuel her undergraduate career, lead her to an internship at the George W. Bush Presidential Center and has now directed her to a career as a lawyer. Lopez encouraged the BeYOUtiful members to focus both on their studies and on the people around them. “The things you’re doing right now will impact your life later,” she said.
As the luncheon ended, the Briarhill students thanked their mentors and took pictures with one another in their coordinating shirts. Click HERE to see all of the BeYOUtiful pictures!
From the beginning, Lewisville Independent School District has committed to ensuring all students—your children—have the resources they need and want to ultimately thrive in a future they create. Follow Lewisville ISD on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see more student experiences throughout the school year or visit Best Schools in Texas for more information about joining the LISD family.
