Twenty years ago, the Young Women’s Group was formed at PV and forged lifelong friendships between many young women. The Young Women’s Group is a club where students at Pleasant Valley can talk about issues that are important to people with other students in an encouraging environment.
The Young Women’s Group was brought back in the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. Jenni Levora, an English teacher, was one of the sponsors of the club 20 years ago and is now leading it again. So far the club is planning events such as self defense classes, slam poetry nights, and bake sales. The Young Women’s Group also does community service. Some volunteering they’ve done in the past is collecting donations for the women’s shelter and helping out at the soup kitchen. They plan on creating hygiene kits for women and collecting clothes and toys for kids as well. Junior Nik Kundert is an active member and leader of the group and said, “Our mission statement is, ‘Giving young women the opportunity to build community, friendships, and to empower one another’”.
Kundert’s mom, Jennifer Herrera, was also a part of the club when it was first created and wrote a letter to the new generation of the Young Women’s Group. “Twenty years ago, at the turn of the millenium, I sat where you sit now. Unsure of what a young women’s group entailed. Nervous, but also excited. I wasn’t close with any of the young women sitting next to me. I struggled with a sense of fitting in, and this had kept me from making a lot of deep friendships. I felt alone and unsure. A part of me, the shy, anxious part, wanted to bolt for the door. But something inside told me to see this through,” it read.
“What I didn’t realize that day, sitting in Mrs. Levora’s classroom, was that I was about to form some of the most profound memories of my Spartan life, and forge friendships that would last a lifetime. Between volunteer work and meditation, self reflection and movie nights, team building activities and open, honest discussions about what it is like to be a young woman in this world, we grew to be a family. And thanks to the social diversity of the group, I knew no matter where I walked in the halls, I was sure to bump into a cherished friend. You are given an opportunity today to help forge your own friendships, to learn and discuss the challenges and tribulations impacting young women today. And the women to your left and to your right, who you may have otherwise never interacted with, will become a cherished part of your own memories”, Herrera continued.
The Young Women’s Group meets every Friday after 8th period and discusses topics such as mental health, self defense, and life skills. The group meets outside of school, as well, to do community service and have got togethers to build friendships. The Young Women’s Group is a great way to get support, leadership skills, and a sense of community within Pleasant Valley.
