Educators at Garfield Park Academy wanted to do more to support students, so they started simply by listening. Last spring, GPA launched three new groups: a Girls’ Group, a Boys’ Group, and an LGBTQ Pride Group. Each group has a unique approach, but the goals are crosscutting – self-acceptance, self-advocacy and self-love.
Maria Reuter, LSW and Melanie Uhse, LSW co-lead the Girls’ Group. Their hope is to help the girls foster and improve relationships with each other, reduce conflicts and bullying, and build on relationships with friends, family and in the community. “We want to build self-esteem and self-confidence so students can be who they are now, and who they are becoming: young women,” said Reuter.
Angelique Adams and Reginald Weeks are co-leaders of the LGBTQ group. “We open discussion to topics that matter to raise awareness of issues in the LGBTQ community,” said Ms. Adams. “Reggie and I have both been there, so we understand some of the things they are going through. Students are building pride in who they are.”
Walter Muhammad and Lance Clark work together to run the Boys’ Group, which was launched at the request of boys at GPA after learning about the Girls’ Group.
“The work we do is all about empowerment. We strive to build them up and offer guidance,” said Clark. Muhammad noted that many of the boys in the school lack a strong male role model. “We address the unique challenges these young men face – we are mentors who can be a resource for them,” he said.
One of the hallmarks of Garfield Park Academy is that there is a social worker in every classroom who is able to support students when they need it. The new peer groups, which meet once or twice a week, broaden that support and teach students how to support each other. Students come to the groups through combination of self-referral and through classroom social workers who also help to identify students who might benefit. No one is turned away, and no one is required to attend.
“Many of these students have been knocked down, so when we start, it can be uncomfortable for them. Over time, they learn that we believe in them and their capacity for change,” concluded Uhse.
