The beYOUty Project –an all-female retreat with a goal to “redefine beauty” — will take place during the school day this year. In the past, the event has taken place on Saturday, but in order to make the event accessible for all female students, the event will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, the day before Valentine’s Day.
The beYOUty Project was started at Plainfield North in 2013 with the purpose to encourage self-worth and self-acceptance. The message of the project is to encourage girls to accept themselves for who they are, rather than what society tells them to be.
“Each year is different; each group of mentors are different. They inspire me to motivate them, to grow as a person myself, and to continue to inspire my students as much as possible,” beYOUty supervisor Christina Florence said. BeYOUty has helped me reframe my mindset and find ways to share that with others. beYOUty Project is a way of life… It’s a mindset. I am so glad I chose to bring this event here!”
One key element of the event is that students run it. Students create posters, market the event to other students, create games to play, come up with interesting crafts, design the T-shirts, and even bring snacks.
“The mentors plan diligently from the beginning of the year till the event, thinking of activities and games to do with the participants,” mentor Isabella Perez, senior, said. “We try to create an interactive space where the participants not only learn about loving themselves and the importance of self-empowerment but also get to be a part of the conversation.”
“It’s being held on a school day this year in the hopes that more people can attend. In past years some girls couldn’t come because they didn’t have rides. Getting out of class also attracts more people to come. I think it’s a positive thing because we’d love as many participants as possible!” mentor Kaitlyn Vidmar, senior, said.
The beYOUty Project’s goal to foster positivity and community among girls allows the school to become a more inclusive and safer place to be. The message of beYOUty continues to be spread, and the event being held during the school day poses the opportunity to include even more girls.
