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Proyecto Mariposas Builds Community, Self Empowerment at Columbus Global Academy
February 13, 2023 -- A new program at Columbus Global Academy aims to build confidence and community among teen girls.
Sylvia Arias, a site coordinator with Communities in Schools of Ohio, was looking for a project that would be perfect for empowering the girls at Columbus Global Academy. Through research, she found Proyecto Mariposas, or Butterfly Project, and brought it to the school at the end of the last school year. As a result, she has already seen many benefits in her ninth and tenth graders.
“Students are able to express themselves and be comfortable in uncomfortable situations,” Arias said. “ I’ve seen them get more confident.”
Yahaira Perez-Caraballo started Proyecto Mariposas in 2011 to connect with the Hispanic community in Columbus. The program is in many schools, including Columbus Global Academy. It focuses on providing a safe space for young girls to be strong and feel empowered. Students have a space to discuss topics important to them in a group setting, work on empowering activities, and express their creativity through writing and artwork.
The first meeting at Columbus Global Academy happened in October. In addition, Arias facilitates two sessions during lunch every other Friday. Currently, a total of 20 students participate in the program. Through these lessons, students use their creativity to express themselves and relate to others.
“This is the first full year at Global,” Arias said. “Students are learning to be more expressive and have better communication skills. They are learning to advocate for themselves as well.”
One recent example that stands out is a project where students wrote negative words they heard about or felt about themselves but covered those statements with beautiful artwork and positive phrases. Eventually, the negative words were completely covered and unrecognizable.
“They covered their paper and sometimes, they even put the paper in the corner of their mirror so they can see these positive things about themselves every morning,” she said. “I always tell them that these sessions are safe spaces and that whatever is said here stays here. Over time, we have grown closer to each other. At that moment, they are able to share and get themselves out of an uncomfortable situation while realizing that they are more than what is said about them.”
The group is for more than just Spanish-speaking students. Sessions are taught in both English and Spanish.
“There are students who do not speak Spanish, and they love it,” Arias said. “They get really excited and feel they have a space to be themselves and connect with others. Even the girls who don’t speak Spanish are learning the language. One of them came up to me yesterday and greeted me in Spanish.”
As part of the curriculum, students also learn about goal setting and steps to take to achieve their goals.
“They also have space to talk about what values they want to embody throughout the year and how they would display those values,” Arias said.
A big goal for last year’s Proyecto Mariposas participants was to create their own magazine - The Mariposa Effect. The magazine, which was in English and Spanish, served as a way to explore girls’ identities through art expression. Topics included culture, food, mental health, safety, and resilience.
“We didn’t have much time because we were only meeting once a month back then,” Arias said. “The magazine was diverse and had lots of varied topics. All the girls had something to say, and the topics were student-led. It was a beautiful experience.
At the end of the school year, students took copies home to share with family and friends. Magazines were also distributed to the school.
“They were so proud of their work,” Arias said. “They’re brilliant girls. They are at Columbus International High School now. I really hope that in the future, we can do a contract with International as well.”
Arias said she would also like to find a similar mentorship program geared toward male students. For her, the program is essential to building community and connection.
“I remember that age,” Arias said. “It was uncomfortable talking to people about some things. Having that community in school or a group connection helps you to be more open and flexible. This is my biggest project here.”