In my mind, there’s nothing like the feeling of appreciation and the impact of your work. In my public relations role at Girls Inc., I seldom get to interact with our girls. This means I relish the stories from our volunteers and program staff. One way I’ve been given a glimpse into these stories is through the feedback forms the girls complete at the end of a program. Their honest, open responses have demonstrated to my distant view that our programs are appreciated and make an impact.

So today, I’m thankful for Shaynea and the message she shared “in her own words” with our program staff. Shaynea, you brightened my day!

Following a session of our Work It Out program, the girls form a circle and have the opportunity to appreciate and affirm their classmates. After each girl states her appreciation or passes, the entire circle of girls says, “Thank you for sharing. Namaste.” We explain that “Namaste” comes from India and is a greeting or word used to show each other respect.