The Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina wants young women to feel more confident, empowered and aware after attending a new leadership workshop inspired by its social work program.
Camp GROW, or Girls Revolutionizing Our World, has been created for high school-age girls based on social work’s six core values. It is a one-day workshop at Kansas State Polytechnic from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 8, that, through a variety of activities, group exercises and guest speakers, will help participants discover personal strengths, understand stress management, build leadership skills and learn how to serve others.
“High school can be a challenging environment to learn about yourself because, often times, it’s about conformity, and we want to help young women develop valuable skills and qualities, and explore important topics that will serve them as they continue to grow and mature,” said Cheryl Calhoun, social work instructor at Kansas State Polytechnic.
For social work’s first core value — human relationships — Camp GROW attendees will participate in a group exercise focused on building a better civilization. For the second core value — competency — there will be a session on setting goals and planning for the future. The third core value — integrity — involves a roundtable of several guests sharing personal stories about substance use. Attendees will explore stress management and self-care with the fourth core value — dignity and worth of the person — and engage in a discussion on diversity for the fifth core value — social justice. Students will take part in a philanthropic project for social work’s sixth core value — service — by making laundry soap from scratch for the local Laundry Love initiative, which will distribute the soap to those in need.
Camp GROW is open to any young woman in the ninth through 12th grades, and Kansas State Polytechnic encourages high schools and organizations to sign up as a group. There is no cost to attend and registration includes a T-shirt and lunch. Also available during the workshop will be resume help and information on paying for college.
Visit polytechnic.k-state.edu/campgrow to register. Explore Kansas State Polytechnic’s social work bachelor’s degree option at polytechnicexperience.com/academics/social-work.
