Female Leadership Community at Ocean Academy in Caye Caulker, Belize


The Ocean Academy Female Leadership community (FLC) is an elective enrichment program that empowers young women to strengthen their leadership skills, while experiencing growth and identity development through the power of sharing, teamwork, and earned success.

Encourage them in becoming a strong, fierce, and empowered woman! A leader for their community! Working with other young women to create a unique community entirely dedicated to their needs.

The FLC is conducted around 3 units: ignite, educate and agitate.

Ignite: Create community through safe space creation, sharing of stories, empowerment rituals, and sistahood.

Educate: Empower young peoples’ minds through the exploration of the unique issues affecting young women today through reading, researching, and journaling.

Agitate: Become empowered leaders through the development of a community-based action project that will ignite and educate other youth and/or the larger community, and share the values of the FLC community.

27.5.12

Our first FLC year is coming to an end and here is A summary of OUR HOT topics - that we discussed with heart, lots of laughter and at time with tears:

Teen Pregnancy:
Reading:
  • Stupid Reasons for Teenagers to Get Pregnant and Why Teenage Pregnancy is a Dumb Idea in General (by Holly Ashworth)
  • 10 Signs That You're Ready for Sex, how to know the right time to have sex for the first time (teenadvice.about.com) 
Self-Reflexion:
Reading:
  • Hot Stuff! Sex, You and Reality (by Jlove in We got Issues!)
  • I See Me by Jay;   What I've Learned by Amy;   Who am I? by Megan;   My Escape by Kayla Saunders     (Teen Poems, www.bestteenpoems.com)
Photography: Our first set of portraits
Discussing:
  • The Seven Instruments within the FLC group: Self Awareness, Self Esteem, Sense of Humor, Empathy, Integrity, Responsibility, Focus (adapted from YELC, Community of Unity, NYC)
  • Our parameter: Real honesty, Real respect, Real sharing 
Family & Parents:
Reading:
  • On Children (by Kahlil Gibran)
  • Dad Poem: Long Time Gone by Nicole Mezzapelle ;   Mom Poem: The Truth  by Brittaney Ferguson;   Sleepless Night by Jessalyn S;   My Escape by Kayla  (Teen Poems, www.bestteenpoems.com)
Feeling blue, angry & bullied:
Photography: Our first set of group portraits
Reading:
  • Our Youth: Stories from the Program of Yelc  (Community of Unity in NYC)
  • What They Did To Me ... by Amanda   (Teen Poems, www.bestteenpoems.com)
School, Future & Career
Guest Speaker: A brainstorm with Allison Pierre, Lawyer & Prosecutor in NYC

Love, Friendship, Romance & Sexual Relationship:
Guest Speaker: Sarah Winstanley, Social Worker
Reading:
  • On Love (by Kahlil Gibran)
  • I hope you will take some time today to celebrate LOVE (a personal note by Naomi Pabst, NYC 2012)
  • I AM AN EMOTIONAL CREATURE  (by Eve Ensler)
  • Key To My Heart   by Amanda Marie  (Teen Poems, www.bestteenpoems.com)
  • Dear Rihanna  (by Eve Ensler)
  • Here is my Ten Point Plan:  Honoring our Interconnectedness as Humans! (© by Naomi Pabst , NYC)
Developing: Defining our rights in a Friendship, Romance & Sexual Relationship

Healthy relationships:
Guest Speaker: Carla Beharry, Homeopathic Practitioner, Canada
Discussing:
  • Qualities to look for in a partner & qualities to be cautious about in a partner.  Important characteristics of loving/mature relationships - intimacy, equality, communication, respect, etc. Red flags in relationships - disrespect, infidelity, controlling, etc. Defining 'what is important to you' in a relationship and your personal values - 'what do I value about myself'. Finding out: Who Am I. Things I like to do with others, things I like to do alone, the way I would like to be treated by others, things about myself I am proud of.
Self-Reflexion:
Developing: Finding our Identity (© The Identity Circle LLC. All Rights Reserved)

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