Children today are bombarded with mixed messages about how they should look, what they should wear, who they should be friends with and how they should deal with life.  To help adolescent girls face the often confusing topics of self-esteem and body image, the Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties, Inc. (JLKD) will bring its successful “Fitting in Together” (F.I.T.) workshop to Oswego’s Plank Junior High School on May 9^th.

            Since being introduced in 2006, JLKD’s F.I.T. program has received rave reviews from teachers and parents alike.  Developed specifically for girls between the ages of 10 and 12 years, the two-hour workshop mixes presentation with interactive activities and small group discussions that focus on four critical aspects of development - body image, self-esteem, friendship and bullying.  The program addresses the impact media has on self-image and includes role-playing exercises designed to provide participants with effective strategies for coping with the challenges that adolescence can bring.

“The transition from elementary school to middle school can be devastating on a girl’s self-esteem,” said Tracy Rogers, president of JLKD.  “The messages they receive from media and friends can overwhelm them with negative images of themselves or even dangerous ideals about who they need to be.  This program helps these young women realize that they are not alone and teaches them techniques for responding when people may say or do things that make them feel badly about themselves.”

The May 9^th workshop will run from 10 a.m.-noon at Plank Junior High School located at -5989 or e-mail fittingintogether@jlkd.org.