It was very fun and I liked it a lot. It was cool to have my picture taken with Chief Hayes because I want to be a police officer when I grow up…maybe even Chief. - JaLeah

Jenna Gentzler, a student of ceramics at Kansas State University, taught a workshop for ten 9 to 12-year-old girls today.

"The girls did a great job.  They were good listeners and paid attention to instructions.  They were so eager to see my demonstration at first they they crowded too close.  I had to have them move away a bit to give myself some room to work.  They were especially excited to learn how to add the details to their pots once we got to that point in the project.  They were good at cricitcal thinking.  They had to figure out what to do if there was a problem; how to fix a weak spot or what to do if something went wrong with their design.  They had to problem solve.  If they rolled the clay out and it stuck to the table they had to scrape it all off and try again using Saran Wrap on the table before rolling. 

The girls were very curious and had lots of questions:  Is this coil big enough?  Can I make a something that my dad can actually drink juice out of?  What kind of paint will we use?  Do I need to slip and score every piece or just the big ones?  How soon can we fire these?  Can I add a lid to mine?  Lots of questions!

The girls learned new vocabulary - slip, score, and wedge.  They learned the names of the tools we used: wooden knife and needle tools.  We also used rolling pins but I am pretty sure they already knew the name for those.  They learned how to make a coil from clay and how to build a pot using coils.  They learned how to attach small pieces to a larger piece.

My ultimate goal is to study to become an art therapist.  I really like teaching what I know and using it to develop a relationship.  When you are making something -w hen you are in the act of creating something and you are engaged with that task - it is easier to have free conversation.  I found that to be true with the girls today.  It was very easy to talk to them and to get to know them as we worked on their pots. 

I would recommend volunteering at Girls Inc.  The girls were all very sweet.  They need good influences and they need love.  I had a great time and would love to come back." - Jenna

Jenna leaves soon for study abroad in Namibia.  Among her other experiences, she will also be teaching art to girls ages 12 through 18 while she is there.  She will bring some supplies with her but will also stay flexible to see what develops, what the girls' interests are and what is available for her to use locally.  If you would like to follow her experiences (although she is not sure how often she will have computer access!), she will be blogging about her experiences at jennagentz.blogspot.com.

Thanks Jenna, for sharing your talent with Girls Inc. of Omaha.  We'll post some photos for you after the pots are glazed and fired!

"I get tired." Mariamo, age 5

"I like our new mats.  They're pretty." - Jessica, age 5

"When you wake up, you wash the mat and put it away." - Jamila, age 5

Most of my kindergarten and 1st grade girls are at Girls Inc. from 7 or 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.  That is a long day for a little girls.  That's why we have naptime.  Usually all of them fall asleep for about 90 minutes.  Many of them even ask, "When are we going to lie down?"  They know they're tired.  They wake up right around snack time, refreshed and ready for Part 2 of the day.  (And, I'd like to add that our teen helper doesn't hate naptime either!) - Ms. Tess

After attending a luncheon hosted by The Optimist Club of Omaha, Ciera Hollingsworth and Makayla Bell decided to tag along to the weekly Anti-Violence meeting hosted by the North Omaha Empowerment Network and Omaha 360.

"I loved seeing a lot of important people from all walks of life coming together to support Omaha.  It was very interesting and empowering.  I also enjoyed attending a 'grown up' meeting.  This is the real world." - Ciera

"First, I want to say that all day long I've done things that I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do without Girls Inc.  I liked the luncheon with The Optimist Club and I also really enjoyed the anti-violence meeting.  It was great to see the room full of people - not just one race, one gender, or one group, but pastors, senators, councilmen, police officers, and concerned citizens all working together for the common good.  They were all interested in helping North Omaha.  Well, all of Omaha actually.  It was inspiring." - Makayla

Today, Girls Inc. of Omaha received a check for $1,000 from the Optimist Club of Omaha.  Teen members Ciera Hollingsworth and Makayla Bell accompanied Executive Director, Roberta Wilhelm, to the luncheon presentation to accept the check on behalf of Girls Inc. and to speak about their experiences growing up at Girls Inc.  Makayla has been a Girls Inc. member since she was seven and Ciera has been a member since the age of six. 

"It was encouraging to learn about organizations like the Optimists that are working to make the community better than it is.  They were all very nice and caring. My favorite part of The Optimists Creed is 'To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.'" - Makayla

"I am used to people like the ones at Girls Inc. - mostly women - working to do good things in the community.  I am not used to seeing so many men (and, is it ok for me to say "Caucasian men?") working to make the community better.  It was good for me to see this.  I liked learning about service organizations and how they help agencies like Girls Inc. I definitely plan to give back to the community like this when I am a professional.  Oh, yeah...and the food was good.  I had two plates!" - Ciera

A poem written for our visit by Optimist Club member Alden Awerkamp:

Girls Are Special

Welcome to our meeting Roberta this day
You care for kids in a very special way

Boys and girls have different needs
Too often our girl is the one who leads

Growing up before they can be a child
Often the landscape a little too wild

Girls Inc. provides a place of good things
Shelters our girls from difficult stings

We love to support for all that you stand
Help our girls get the best from this land

Help them claim the things that are theirs
All at Girls Inc. in all of our prayers.

YOUR OPTIMIST FRIENDS

"The chocolate is better than the peppermint." - Amaya [referring to her "model of earth" on a toothpick - peppermint core, marshmallow mantle, and chocolate crust.]

"The girls studied the layers of the earth and then they made their own 'edible' earth.  The mint candy represents the core, the marshmallow represents the mantle, and the chocolate coating is the crust." - Ms. Mara

"We're doing science and we made the earth. And the best part is we get to eat it." - LaMare'

Girls Inc. members and staff participated in Night in White at the Parkside Baptist Church yesterday.  The service was hosted by the Alliance of Women Clergy, Inc.  and their vision is "a multi-racial grassroots coalition of faith-based leaders on one accord commited to equality and diversity.  We see clergy women coming together to weave a web in the sacred acknowledgement of God; learning and growing from that knowledge 'to encourage and build each other up...' (1 Thess. 5:11).  The theme for the service was "Shine on me Lord!" and opened with the singing of "This Little Light of Mine."

Girls Inc. was chosen to receive the collection donation from the service and members of the Girls Inc. step team performed during the service.

'"It was a definitely new experience for me, having the girls perform in a church." - Ms. Candice, Girls Inc. step team coach.

In addition to being impressed with the Humanitarian Award winners and throughly enjoying the guest speakers (Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy) at the Inhclusive Communities dinner, the gala also gave the girls the chance to practice eating in a formal setting.  For many of them, this was a first meal with more than one fork and with more than one course.  The girls learned that  a napkin can be a slippery devil and land on the floor despite your best efforts to keep it squarely on your lap.  They enjoyed the place settings, the centerpieces, and the overall elegance of their evening.  And the cake!