OUR WORK
WORKSHOP STORIES
Sayre Elementary
Chicago, IL
The Project Style team visited the Sayre Elementary in Chicago, continuing a programming relationship that began in 2018.
This diverse group on girls from the West Side of Chicago was a blast. The girls had a great time learning more about themselves and each other during the self-esteem workshop. The girls completed guided vision board exercises that focused on unrealistic beauty standards and their impact on personal self-esteem. Thank you to Christina Adelman and Sayre for another great year.
Esmond Elementary Chicago, IL
The ladies of Project Style visited Esmond Elementary in Chicago on February 20, 2020.
Project Style worked with Marisha Smith-Caldwell and the girls of Esmond Elementary on goal-oriented vision boards. The young ladies of Esmond Elementary illustrated their academic and personal goals through the use of positive words and images.
The girls also discussed the importance of positive self-expression. Today's beauty standards often portray unrealistic beauty standards built on self-objectification.
Central Park Elementary
Midlothian, IL
Kolmar Elementary
Midlothian, IL
In the South Suburbs, Project Style began another year working with Heather Milani and Sue Sheridan at Central Park Elementary as well as with Nadia Morales at Kolmar School.
Both schools were a part of Project Style's Signature Seven-Week After School Program. The Signature After School Program allows the girls to address tough topics such as healthy self-esteem, self-objectification, showcasing individual talents, offsetting negative thoughts, positive social media interactions, and teamwork.
The girls collaborated on various projects, including vision boards, bag decorating, pop up shopping, and unique group experience. This year, one of Project Style's former graduates returned to mentor and assisted with leading the workshops at Central Park. The fashion club students loved hearing how the workshops helped her acclimate to high school.
Thank you Heather Milani (Central Park), Sue Sheridan (Central Park), and Nadia Morales (Kolmar)for all your work with our girls in the South Suburbs over the year.
High School
for
Social Justice
The Project Style team visited the Greater Lawndale High School for Social Justice, a school that specializes in service learning, community outreach, and advocacy.
The PS team worked with nearly 20 girls, ages 13 - 18 on a vision board exercise that tackled the feelings that may come up when we see certain advertising campaigns. The students were led through a discussion on the manipulation that we sometimes face when we see certain ads and were taught tactics to help them handle those feelings and how to develop their own way of thinking.
The group discussion was followed by an activity where the girls created their own advertisement of sorts, by making a collage that represented who they are and how they would like others to see them.
Corkery
Elementary
The women of Project Style visited Corkery Elementary in Chicago's West Side and worked specifically with a group of girls that are participants of some of the school's many after school programs.
The 20 girls that the PS team hosted at this workshop pop up were comprised of 10 to 15 year old students. The Project Style team followed a similar curriculum that was put in place for the High School of Social Justice, teaching the students the dangers of advertising and how to handle the toll that it takes on our self esteem.
The students followed the discussion with the collage exercise, utilizing materials from Project Style to construct how they view themselves and would want their personal advertisement to appear to the rest of the world.
The Bridge Teen Center
The Project Style Team visited The Bridge Teen Center, a non profit community center that is designed around the interests and needs of teens in the suburbs of Chicago. The mission of the center is to provide free programs during after-school and unsupervised hours where students can develop mentally, physically, and emotionally in a safe environment.
The PS team worked with 15 girls, ranging from 7th to 12th graders, discussing what confidence is and how we can show confidence and self love through our personal style. The students were led through a discussion, expressing what made each of them feel confident.
The students then participated in an activity where they were able to showcase their personal style through decorating their own Project Style bags. Once completed, each student shared their work with the group, explaining how they personalized their bag to best represent themselves..
Sayre Language Academy
Project Style Kicks Off 2018/2019 School Year with Visit to Sayre Language Academy
Our 2018/2019 Chicago Public School workshops are officially underway! On the morning of Friday, Oct. 26, the Project Style team and our mentors visited Sayre Language Academy in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood to host the first student self-esteem workshop and pop-up boutique of the school year.
During the interactive 90-minute workshop, our Project Style mentors began the conversation about what positive self-esteem means and how we will work with students one-on-one throughout the year to help each of them achieve a heightened sense of self-worth.
After introductions from School Counselor/Case Manager Christina Adelman and the Project Style volunteers, the group of 8th grade girls were encouraged to introduce themselves with their name and an adjective they each chose to describe themselves. This activity helped spur discussions about how we perceive ourselves and the weight that words often carry.
Afterwards, students were paired with an individual Project Style mentor, who walked their group through a specially designed workbook that each girl keeps to reference throughout the school year. Conversations centered around what builds confidence, creating our own personal style and the power of positive thinking and actions.
The workshop concluded with a hands-on pop-up boutique where the girls were able to take what they learned about the connection between self-esteem and the way they dress by shopping for free from our selection of donated clothing.
The fall Chicago Public School workshops officially kick off the year-long Project Style curriculum, which continues throughout the year with regular mentor check-ins and culminates with a subsequent spring event that commemorates the students’ achievements and celebrates their continued success.