In recognition of International Women's Day, we are celebrating the achievements and contributions of women and girls in our district and our community. This includes the vast array of leadership and service clubs in our schools, such as the Empowering Hornets Club at Frank Hurt Secondary, an inclusive group for girls to share their thoughts and ideas, learn new skills and give back to the community.
Started in 2018, the club began as a group of Grade 9 girls spending lunch together in teacher Maria Barahona's classroom. At her encouragement, the girls formed the Empowering Hornets, which has since grown to more than 30 regular members, many of whom participate in weekly meetings and come up with creative community projects.
"We invite everybody," said Barahona, who oversees the group with fellow teachers Katrina Hoffer and Pauline Sidhu. "The aim was having a club mainly for junior girls transitioning to secondary school, but it's grown to having Grade 8s to 12s this year."
"Their main mission statement is they went to empower themselves and others," said Hoffer. "We tend to do a balance of self-care, community building, friendship building and stuff for the community at large."
While the group is targeted to girls, they are welcoming of all students, with many joining through word of mouth at the referral of friends.
Students have found a sense of community through philanthropic projects, such as writing Christmas and Valentine's cards for seniors at Arbourside Court and raising money for BC Children's Hospital, which led to a trip to the hospital (pre-COVID) to meet several doctors, nurses and patients.
"For me, it's really important to be able to live outside yourself, and being there to see people I could help was just really nice," said Grade 10 student Hailey Brewster. "It was really important for me just developing as a teenager to experience something like that."
"We're such a young group of passionate, diverse individuals, we share our opinions and thoughts, and it's important to be part of the change we make to our community," said Grade 12 student Muskaan Gill.
The club's motto is "We Are Stronger Together" and uses the lotus as a symbol of strength and resiliency, just a few of the qualities that students say they've gained through club projects.
"Being an Empowering Hornet showed me the abilities I never knew I had," said Grade 12 student Manraj Sekhon, noting the club has taught her teamwork and improved her confidence in public speaking. "This club is like a second family, they've helped me experience personal growth as a young woman."
Fellow member and Grade 8 student Aashita Goyal agreed. "It made me develop my leadership skills, and helped me change my perspective by thinking of others and valuing others' perspectives."
The Empowering Hornets Club is always open to new members, and each of the girls recommend joining a student group - be it a club, a sports team, student council - to find a sense of self and of community.
"I'd highly recommend joining a group, especially if you had a connection with the teachers like I did," said Gill. "They made it really fun and interactive to communicate with others."
"When you're in a group where you can brainstorm ideas to give back to the community, to have fun, it just gives a sense of community and it's honestly amazing," said Brewster.
For more information on the Empowering Hornets Club, visit their Instagram at @empoweringhornets
