October 2 – Kickoff & Suffrage (Session 1)
Presenters: Kim Mellon (President, Wilton Historical Society), Avni Gupta (Mentor)
Focus of this session:
Group Activity: Interview a Future Leader!
Optional Assignment: Look through your local newspaper and find a topic that you care about. Think about your opinion on the topic. Do you agree with the decisions that are being made about that topic?
Focus of this session:
- An overview of the Ms President US program;
- Why civic leadership among women and girls is important, including information about the current representation of women in politics;
- What girls can do to create positive, lasting change.Learn how women in Connecticut helped shape our state, our nation, and our world
- Explore CT’s remarkable women from the colonial period to the Civil War
- Make connections between past and present; consider ways to take an active role in shaping the future
Group Activity: Interview a Future Leader!
Optional Assignment: Look through your local newspaper and find a topic that you care about. Think about your opinion on the topic. Do you agree with the decisions that are being made about that topic?
October 23 – Local Leaders (Session 2)
Presenters: First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice (R/Wilton), First Selectwoman Julie Pemberton (D/Redding)
Focus of this session:
Group Activity (from GS of CT): 4th & 5th Graders (Inside Government): STEP 3 – Think about laws you might propose someday. 6th-8th Graders (Finding Common Ground): STEP 2 – Make decisions in a group.
Optional Assignment: Draft a letter to your town newspaper that presents your position on an issue you are concerned about.
Girl Scouts: 4th & 5th Graders (Inside Government): STEP 1: Be an Active Citizen in Action: List 10 things that make an active citizen. 6th-8th Graders (Finding Common Ground): STEP 1: Get to know someone different from you.
Focus of this session:
- Meet the women who are making important decisions in their own towns and cities today.
- Learn about some of the issues that are being discussed and why they are important to the community.
- Discuss different opinions on local topics – find common ground among peers.
Group Activity (from GS of CT): 4th & 5th Graders (Inside Government): STEP 3 – Think about laws you might propose someday. 6th-8th Graders (Finding Common Ground): STEP 2 – Make decisions in a group.
Optional Assignment: Draft a letter to your town newspaper that presents your position on an issue you are concerned about.
Girl Scouts: 4th & 5th Graders (Inside Government): STEP 1: Be an Active Citizen in Action: List 10 things that make an active citizen. 6th-8th Graders (Finding Common Ground): STEP 1: Get to know someone different from you.
November 13 – State Leaders (Session 3)
Presenters: Mae Flexer (D State Senator), Themis Klarides (R House Minority Leader)
Focus of this session:
Group Activity: Finish Vision Board at home.
Optional Assignment: Draft a letter to your town newspaper that presents your position on an issue you are concerned about.
Girl Scouts: 6th-8th Graders (GS of CT: Finding Common Ground): STEP 4 – Understand a Compromise. Discuss the compromises you heard the state speakers describe.
Focus of this session:
- Meet women who are making important decisions in Connecticut today.
- Learn about why they chose to run for a state position, and what issues are important to them.
- Understand leadership roles that are available to girls and women in the state.
Group Activity: Finish Vision Board at home.
Optional Assignment: Draft a letter to your town newspaper that presents your position on an issue you are concerned about.
Girl Scouts: 6th-8th Graders (GS of CT: Finding Common Ground): STEP 4 – Understand a Compromise. Discuss the compromises you heard the state speakers describe.
December 4 – Federal Leaders (Session 4)
Presenters: Quaker Activists Liseli Haines and Buffy Curtis
Focus of this session:
Group Activity: Learn Debating Skills, practice debate.
Focus of this session:
- The importance of finding your own voice
- Guidelines for speaking well / what makes a great speech
- Role-playing speeches
Group Activity: Learn Debating Skills, practice debate.
January 8 – Finding Your Voice (Session 5)
Presenters: Kathryn Poindexter, Founder, Campaign Greenhouse
Focus of this session:
Group Activity: Among small groups, practice speaking about simple topics (ex: favorite ice cream). See speech guidance.
Optional Assignment: At home, consider topics you might want to include in your campaign speech. Discuss with parents.
Focus of this session:
- The importance of finding your own voice
- Guidelines for speaking well / what makes a great speech
- Role-playing speeches
Group Activity: Among small groups, practice speaking about simple topics (ex: favorite ice cream). See speech guidance.
Optional Assignment: At home, consider topics you might want to include in your campaign speech. Discuss with parents.
February 5 – Public Speaking (Session 6)
Presenters: Eila Nambiar, Ellie Carter, Kavya Anand (Mentors)
Focus of this session:
Address how the media portrays successful women leaders and the obstacles female leaders have to overcome.
Bring awareness to students about how they live each day, and how outside influences can affect their thoughts.
Show the students that they have the ability and power to change thoughts for the positive, connecting to their true, authentic self.
Group Activity: Practice power poses and other self-esteem builders. Among small groups, continue practicing speeches – identify campaign partners. Use speech guidance.
Optional Assignment: Continue at home with campaign preparation – identification of topics and partners.
Focus of this session:
Address how the media portrays successful women leaders and the obstacles female leaders have to overcome.
Bring awareness to students about how they live each day, and how outside influences can affect their thoughts.
Show the students that they have the ability and power to change thoughts for the positive, connecting to their true, authentic self.
Group Activity: Practice power poses and other self-esteem builders. Among small groups, continue practicing speeches – identify campaign partners. Use speech guidance.
Optional Assignment: Continue at home with campaign preparation – identification of topics and partners.
February 19 – Communications Team (Session 7)
Presenters: Jahana Hayes (D/Congresswoman), Annmarie Goyzueta (Director of Operations for US House of Rep.Hayes)
Focus of this session:
Learn about the structure of Federal Government and the role of women who are/have been leaders on a national level
Meet and greet female leaders who have had experience in US Congress and/or leading a national initiative
Learn and Practice debating skills – how to make a structured and compelling argument among peers.
Group Activity: Continue practicing campaign speeches among campaign partners.
Optional Assignment: Continue at home with campaign preparation
Focus of this session:
Learn about the structure of Federal Government and the role of women who are/have been leaders on a national level
Meet and greet female leaders who have had experience in US Congress and/or leading a national initiative
Learn and Practice debating skills – how to make a structured and compelling argument among peers.
Group Activity: Continue practicing campaign speeches among campaign partners.
Optional Assignment: Continue at home with campaign preparation
March 5 – Campaign/Speech Practice (Session 8)
Presenters: Sarah Craven, Director, UNFPA Washington DC office