For all middle school and high school girls in the area, it’s time for some Girl Talk.
Girl Talk, a free, non-profit peer-mentoring program, helps girls deal with the difficult and sensitive issues they face during their early teenage years.
According to the organization’s website, www.mygirltalk.org, Girl Talk serves more than 40,000 girls in 43 states and seven countries, and now the group will extend its reach with a Marlton-based chapter thanks to resident Mary Beth Iannarella.
Iannarella, an account executive at a marketing and advertising agency, said she started the group because community service has always been a part of her life, from a childhood in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, to teaching CCD, to volunteering with her children’s youth group at church.
She describes the premise of the new Girl Talk chapter as simple: high school girls mentoring middle school girls.
“I want it to be their group,” Iannarella said. “I kind of just guide them through and make sure everyone stays on the right path.”
With Iannarella as adult advisor, a group of high school and middle school aged girls will meet once a month to discuss what’s going on in their lives, as well as plan monthly community service projects and fun activities over which to bond.
In addition to the advisory role Iannarella will play, Girl Talk chapters require at least one high school girl to be a group leader.
With Iannarella’s daughter having just graduated high school, she said she instead pitched the idea of being the leader of the group to one her best friends’ daughter.
“She thought it was awesome,” Iannarella said. “I thought it would be great for her self-esteem. She’s spreading the word all around. She’s my leader. She’s been helping me get everything started and getting the word out.”
Although groups can be as small as one advisor, one high school aged leader/mentor and one middle school aged mentee, Iannarella said around 30 girls have already expressed interest in attending her new chapter.
As for discussion topics, Iannarella said the Girl Talk website has an entire curriculum where she can download activities and find out what to talk about at meetings.
Topics include beautiful body image, being a friend, girls being true to themselves, dating, downplaying drama, growing up, parents, life lessons, life skills, creativity, self health, partying, inspiration and more.
Iannarella said the group has an added benefit for the younger girls, as it helps them socialize with girls already in high school, which she likens to when her son first joined the youth group at their church the summer before his freshman year.
“They formed this bond and it didn’t matter what grade they were in or what clique they were with, and they just got along, and I felt that was important for the kids and their confidence,” she said.
As for the older high school girls, which Iannarella said the chapter could use more of, she said the group helps them build self-confidence.
“It’s great for the younger girls because they look up to the older girls anyway, but it’s great for the older girls because they lack self confidence so this will definitely help,” she said.
The group’s first meeting is Sept. 24 from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. in the meeting room at the Evesham Township Library, 984 Tuckerton Road. Those looking for more information can contact Iannarella at [email protected].
“I look forward to a great year watching the girls build friendships with each other and confidence in themselves,” Iannarella said.
