When Assiah Holston, 12, was told about a new group forming to teach young ladies rules of etiquette and how to develop self-esteem, her interest was piqued. The Gary Aspire Charter Academy student immediately joined and has religiously attended the bimonthly get-togethers.
That was almost one year ago, when the Poised, Educated Adolescents Reaching for Life’s Successes (P.E.A.R.L.S.) group first began, under the umbrella of the Feed My Sheep organization.
“I really like this. There’s a lot to do,” Assiah said, during an Express Yourself session. “It turned out to be more than I thought it would be.”
Schererville resident Cheryl Smith developed the idea to teach girls, ages 9 to 14, the many facets of acquiring, building and valuing positive personality traits for a lifetime of productivity and achievement.
“It’s very important that they look at the whole picture, not just what they see in the media,” Smith said. “They need to think for themselves.’
P.E.A.R.L.S. is a nonprofit program developed under the Feed My Sheep organization umbrella. The goal of Feed My Sheep is “nurturing the mind and feeding the soul,” according to Smith.
She also named the group after her mother, Pearl, an achiever who demonstrated grace and eloquence, she said.
Speakers are scheduled and activities take place twice a month at branches of the East Chicago Public Library.
The gatherings coordinated by Smith and her volunteers include six components — Mind Over Matter; Inside Out: Image; Body and Mind; Read to Lead; Mind Your Manners; and Up Close and Personal.
Within those topics, sessions include Brain Power, The Skin I’m In, and Etiquette A-Z, among others.
More Top Picks Best High Power Reading Glasses
One recent session, Express Yourself, found 10 young ladies trying out their artistic skills with local artist Nikki Coker of Artco Mobile Painting Parties.
“These (painting classes) give the girls an opportunity to use their creativity,” Coker said. “There are no grades given. Everyone goes at their own pace.”
Andreinne Askew, 12, was enjoying the chance to add a colorful flair to her painting of a ballerina.
“I really like this class. It’s bringing out things I didn’t know about myself,” the East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy student said. “I don’t think I’m very artistic, but I’m finding out that I can really do this.”
The Foundations of East Chicago was involved in funding the Feed My Sheep Resource Center Inc. and P.E.A.R.L.S.
Future projects under the Feed My Sheep umbrella include C.L.E.A.R. (Continuously Learning, Experiencing and Appreciating Reading), 4 Kids by Kids, and Y.O.U. (Young and Old United).
For more information about Feed My Sheep and the P.E.A.R.L.S. program, call (219) 440-2465 or [email protected].