Female Empowerment Student Organization at Baldwin Middle School Celebrates Women’s History Month

This year, the Baldwin Middle School's GLO (Girls Loving Ourselves) Empowerment club celebrated the commencement of Women’s History Month with a traditional tea party. The special occasion allowed the young ladies, grades 6-8, to engage with one another, while listening to inspiring speakers in a fun setting. The middle school tea party, which took place in a library transformed with pastel table clothes and spring floral arrangements, served as an integral part of GLO's annual Empowerment Ceremony. Baldwin Middle School principal, Dr. Erica Taylor, school psychologist and GLO club facilitator, Dr. Ilana Melvin, and teacher, Patricia Greaves, organized the event for the young girls. 

Nearly a Decade of Female Empowerment

GLO Empowerment, initiated by Ms. Greaves nine years ago, aims to foster acceptance, support, and self-love among girls at Baldwin Middle School. Open to students grades 6-8, the program provides a safe and nurturing environment for young girls to share their successes and challenges. The unique club helps amplify the middle schoolers’ voices, embrace self-affirmation, celebrate self-love and body positivity, and confidently navigate the challenges of young adolescence.

"As women, we understand brokenness, but we also know the strength that emerges from it,” said Dr. Taylor. “We aim to inspire every young woman to recognize her worth, love herself wholeheartedly, and realize that she is resilient, unstoppable, and more than enough.” She expressed her pride in the girls as well as her gratitude to Dr. Melvin and Patricia Greaves for creating such a valuable program for middle school girls.

A Special Theme

Baldwin Middle School went with the tea party theme for this year’s empowerment ceremony since historically speaking, tea parties are considered a cherished tradition among women dating back to the mid-19th century. The caffeinated afternoons initially served as both a social gathering and a statement of status. It was during these brief get-togethers women could demonstrate their hospitality, culinary skills, and refined etiquette.

But more importantly, tea parties provided a much-needed platform for females to engage in meaningful dialogue and establish connections during a time when women’s rights were limited. Notably, tea parties often played a significant role in social change. For instance, the women's suffrage movement began because of a tea party. It was these gatherings that became a forum for challenging the ‘status quo.’

To coincide with the theme, the middle school students were 'crowned' this year with a fascinator hat—a symbol of female empowerment and decorum. The afternoon then followed with enlightening discussions with several influential women from various backgrounds: Keysha Carter, Entrepreneur; Jordan Greaves, Data Analyst and Gymnastics Coach; Dr. Diana Jones-Sukhram, Dean of Education, SUNY Old Westbury; and Litishia Smith, Etiquette Coach and Motivational Speaker. While sipping tea and nibbling cupcakes, the students took in each speaker’s unique insights and enthusiasm.

“These girls are our future generation, and we need to show them how to lead our world as confident, empowered women,” said Dr. Taylor.