Hundreds of KCK girls celebrate International Day of the Girl with Marinovich, Lane

by Mary Rupert

A busy, high-energy event offered inspiration today to 220 girls attending the International Day of the Girl program held at Kansas City Kansas Community College Technical Education Center.

The program called on successful Kansas City, Kan., women including former mayor Carol Marinovich and Superintendent Cindy Lane to offer words of hope to the middle-school and high school students.

At times the event resembled a pep rally, and even the group signal to be quiet – clapping hands in a rhythm that might be found at the Royals game cheer – reminded one of cheerleading.

Inspirational messages flashed on the screens overhead: “I am change.” “I am my story.” “I write the world.”

Marinovich and Lane talked about their personal experiences – how other people at times told them they couldn’t reach their goals because they were girls. Then they discussed how they reached their achievements and conquered their fears.

Lane told the group that when she was young, she wanted to be a professional baseball player and a rock star, but she was discouraged by some people. The discouragement put doubts in her mind, she said.

Why didn’t she become a pro baseball player or rock star, she asked the group. “The bottom line is I didn’t work at it,” she said.

One day a mentor told her she was capable of achieving her goals, she said, and she went on to achieve her goals – which were now different ones from her childhood dreams.

She continues to overcome fears. “I had a chance to fly with the Blue Angels,” she told the group. Even though she is afraid of heights, she went on the flight earlier this year, anyway. “That jet took off and we went straight up in the air, I was scared to death.

“However, I was capable, I decided I would take that experience,” she told the girls.

What motivated her the most was that there was an alternate prepared to take her place on the flight – someone had doubted that she could do it, she added.

She asked the girls to turn to their neighbors and tell them what they’re afraid of. Overheard were some who were afraid of bugs and tornadoes. They discussed techniques in overcoming them.

“I have a dream. I am capable. I decide,” Lane said, with the students echoing her words.

“No matter the obstacles in your lives, no matter if your home life is noisy, no matter if you don’t have the kind of food you want to eat, no matter what other people tell you, you decide,” Lane told the audience. “Say that with me: I decide.”

Marinovich is the honorary chair of the International Day of the Girl event. She currently teaches government classes at Donnelly College and college-level government classes at Schlagle High School. She told the group she learned an important life lesson from her mother.

“What I learned from my mom was two things – books and reading, and the importance of education. She wanted her only daughter to have the education that she didn’t have,” she said.

She knew from the day she started kindergarten that she was going to college, she said. Education is critical and will open doors for people, she said.

She shared with the students that when she first ran for office she was scared and nervous to speak in public. “The only way you can overcome your fears is to get in there and practice,” she said.

She asked the students what they wanted to be when they graduated, and got answers such as lawyer, forensic pathologist, firefighter, veterinarian, FBI agent, psychologist, nurse, and singer.

“You’re going to have to set your goals and you’re going to have to work hard,” she told the students.

Her top four points were the importance of education, overcoming their fears, being passionate about their work, and giving back to others and the community.

“I hope it inspires confidence for them to dream big dreams and also work hard to accomplish those dreams,” Marinovich said about today’s program.

There were several other speakers at the event, including Lynn Grant, with Grantvision Counseling and Consulting Group, speaking about “I am Strong, Capable and Joyful,” and Mark and Shanelle Dupree, attorneys, “Commissioning of I Am Change Special Agents.”

“It’s a day of inspiration and information to help girls rise to their full potential,” said Joy Tarchia, event chair and a board member of Young Women on the Move, the sponsor of the program. Mary Beth Gentry is the executive director of the organization.

Most of the students were from the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools’ middle schools, Tarchia said, with about 20 or 30 from high schools.

Students also worked on a project where they created birthing kits for women in needy parts of the world.

The inspirational messages they heard today are expected to help the students in school and life.

“The more self-esteem they have, the better their educational performance,” said Susan Maaks, a school counselor who attended the event. She said it was a wonderful event, especially for girls in that age range.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY7jBPabMgE[/embedyt]
More than 200 girls attended the International Day of the Girl event Oct. 8 in Kansas City, Kan. Superintendent Cindy Lane spoke to the group. (Video by Mary Rupert)