Young girls learn about confidence at Girl Power seminar Thursday evening

The Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) hosted its Girl Power: Girls in Real Life seminar Thursday evening in the Amarillo Civic Center Grand Plaza.

Approximately 170 young women and their female role models participated in the event, which included activities, speakers, parental counseling for the mothers, a dance party for the young girls titled “Let’s Go Coconuts!” presented by dance instructor Christina Monteith, a variety of door prizes, complementary t-shirts, dinner and more.

"This is our 14th time that we have held this event for 10- to 14-year-old girls and their significant female role model, whether it be their mother, aunt, big sister, grandmother or guardian, and it's really the best bonding experience, because the girls at this age are still very tied to their mothers and they still turn to them and seek their advice, and so we help further facilitate that connection," Angela Knapp Eggers, senior director of Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, said.

Guests at the event also had the opportunity to listen to guest speakers discuss various topics pertaining to the mother-daughter connection and cultivating a self esteem, including keynote speaker, Amarillo native and actress Taylor Paige Henderson, best known for her role as young Winifred Sanderson in Disney’s "Hocus Pocus 2."

Henderson spoke about why she chose to participate as the guest speaker and the advice she shared with the young girls in the room.

"Today I will be talking about self-confidence, self-worth, self-esteem, and a little bit of peer pressure. I think the importance of talking about this is, because it's important when you are young to learn your worth, who you are, your morals and values, because when you are older, if you don't have a good foundation, it can be really heard to try to build that up with all of the other life factors influencing you, and that is the message I am sharing today," Henderson said.

"This is really special to me to be able to speak to these young girls, because I think I have had a really good support system and a really good sense of self since I was really young, and I think it's important to be able to pass that on to younger girls," Henderson added. "I want them to remember that being themselves will take them farther than anything else in life, and that will inspire confidence, which will go hand in hand to help them achieve their dreams."

Additional speakers at the event included Tim Bowles, senior clinical department administrator at TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, presenting “I Get it From My Momma,” discussing the relationship between mothers and daughters, and some ways to further discussions between one another; and guest speaker Whitney Chapman, lead counselor at North Heights Alternative School presenting “I’m Not a Regular Mom, I’m a Cool Mom,” speaking to mothers and sharing tips on how to get through the "difficult years" as their daughters begin to become women.

Courtney Bashaw spoke about attending the event for the fourth time with her daughter Emersyn Whetstone and including her younger sister Bryleigh Barker, for the first time.

"I think this brings them out of their shell, teaches them confidence and how to believe in themselves. I started bringing Emersyn very young. I knew I was very shy as a kid, and I wanted her to have confidence and believe in herself and know that she can be herself, and she doesn't have to become what others say she should be," Bashaw said.

Bashaw said over the years, she has learned how to better communicate with her daughter, what to be wary of on social media, how to better gauge their child's emotions and facilitate boundaries between one another.

"Even though we are a Women's Health Institute, we have found that women begin those habits of health at a very young age, and we work to cultivate a positive one as they become women. Oftentimes as we are training and teaching these young girls at 10 to 14 years old, their mothers are hearing the same message, which is a benefit to both of them. We want the young girls to know that they can grow up and be confident and become anything they want, and we need the mothers to hear that their daughters are capable of achieving their goals," Knapp Eggers said.

For more information about the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, visit them online at https://www.laurabushinstitute.org/ or follow them on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Laura W. Bush Institute inspires confidence in Girl Power seminar