MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- For the second year in a row, the Green Bay Packers sponsored a special day of empowerment for middle school students in Milwaukee.
Packers Empower is a two-day event that started with 140 Middle School girls attending sessions with motivational speakers and activities. The program is led by organizations geared toward helping teenage girls in the area.
"They always say that the world outside is a tool for everyone to learn but we know that often times not everything is a positive influence for our young people. So these opportunities give our students the opportunity to develop positive outcomes and views on how their life can be," said Sophia Smith, Milwaukee Public Schools Volunteer Service Associate.
Every activity in the event is designed so that these young girls could learn more about themselves and set goals for the future.
“So the thing that we’re teaching them indirectly is for them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers so even if things get in the way it’s OK," added Jasmine Deacon, who served as an instructor at the event.
Showing the young women that people truly care about them and their voice.
“The things that all of us felt when we were younger, so we wanted to be seen more we wanted to be heard more, we wanted to be taken seriously also for us to be allowed to be at the table to give critical feedback. To really be able to for our point our scope to be felt," shared Deacon.
Leaving them with a sense of self-worth and validation, something the volunteers consider crucial during teen years.
“It is a validation tool that we love to be able to instill within them, everyone comes from different environments but we wanna know that we provided them an environment to be able to know they can do anything they put their minds to," continued Smith.
For instructors like Deacon, there's a personal reason to be there for the teen girls and help them succeed. She was once in their place and wished someone would have been there for her too.
“It is the opportunity where I can go and give to girls more of what I wish I had when I was a kid, so to be able to work with girls from the same schools and neighborhoods I grew up in," said Deacon.
On the second day of the Packers Empower event, 140 Milwaukee middle school boys attend the event where they also participate in the empowerment activities and have the opportunity to listen to a motivational speaker.