The Peru Gazette

PLATTSBURGH (March 7, 2022) — Shine On! returns to an in-person conference for 3rd to 5th-grade girls April 30 to May 1. The free conference, Mighty Girls Move Mountains: Explore Your Character Compass, will be held for the first time at Camp Pok-O-MacCready in Willsboro for only 80 girls due to COVID safety precautions. Online registration opens March 26 at 10 a.m. with a first come first serve policy.

This year’s conference is all about teaching girls how to survive and thrive in every aspect of their lives. A series of interactive activities will be offered such as rock climbing, low ropes and a variety of Shine On!-themed workshops. Workshops will encompass Shine On!’s three key themes: character strengths, communication skills and media/marketing literacy. SUNY Plattsburgh women mentors and Pok-O-MacCready’s certified instructors will lead girls through programming.

In compliance with Clinton County Health Department COVID guidelines all attendees must be fully vaccinated. Additionally, temperatures will be taken and rapid testing will be performed at check-in the morning of the conference in order to create a COVID-free bubble so that masks won’t be mandated. Attendees are always welcome to wear masks, however much of the conference will be outdoors in small cohorts for increased safety precautions.

Shine On! is a local organization dedicated to fostering resilience, confidence and character in young girls. The program strives to prevent negative behavioral outcomes that are commonly seen every day in middle and high school-aged teens by reaching them while they are still in elementary school. Ultimately, Shine On! aims to build a world populated with more empowered, strong women by starting in Plattsburgh.

The continual support Shine On! receives from local sponsors, such as CVPH, TDC, Plattsburgh Pediatrics, Cloudsplitter and Stewart’s, have made this program possible.

Now in its 13th year, the Shine On! conference is designed to promote self-confidence and help develop self-esteem in 3rd to 5th-grade girls. Approximately 2,000 girls have attended the annual conference. Shine On! also runs Education Outreach programming for boys and girls in schools throughout northern New York. For more information, please visit our website, www.shineongirl.org or email shineonpsu@gmail.com.

Workshops this year include:

“Conquer the Crux” — Rock Climbing

How does your daughter carry herself when things in life get tough? As we know, life is full of “mountains.” By rock climbing at Camp Pok-O-MacCready’s Crux rock climbing facility, your daughter will learn that by being gritty, challenging herself, and taking positive risks, she is capable of climbing some of life’s steepest mountains.

“High Hopes, Low Ropes” — Team Dynamics and Leadership

With strength and teamwork, we learn to be optimistic about challenges and see them as an opportunity to grow. The goal of low ropes is for your daughter to learn that her own efforts and attitudes are a determining factor in group success, on and off the ropes course.

“Your Savvy Self” — Needs vs. Wants/Understanding Finances

Sometimes in life we fail to understand the difference between our needs and our wants. In this workshop, our goal is to increase your daughter’s financial literacy skills in recognizing

her own needs versus wants, and most importantly, to understand that her true character requires nothing materialistic to feel worthy.

“Survive and Thrive” — Fire and Shelter Building

Curiosity ignites our desire to discover the unknown, and with this workshop, girls will gather the tools and confidence needed to be self-reliant.

“Situation Navigation” — Communication Skills

This workshop includes an obstacle course in which your daughters will learn the importance of communication skills and social intelligence in the bigger scheme of navigating life. We will teach the girls that life challenges are not obstacles, but learning opportunities to guide yourself through interpersonal and social struggles.

“Fight the Fake” — Media & Social Media Literacy

In the age of information, our beliefs of real versus fake can become easily disillusioned. The goal of this workshop is to ensure that your daughter is not another naive victim to the media. By the end of this interactive magazine activity, your daughter will know how to spot the difference between real and fake portrayals of people in the media.