The Grauer School Advocates for a "Mean Girl-Free" World
Encinitas, CA, March 08, 2015 --(PR.com)-- The Grauer School’s Girl Rising Club will host a screening of Finding Kind on Sunday, March 22nd in The Grauer School’s Great Hall as part of The Grauer School’s ongoing Great Conversations Series. The film, Finding Kind, shines light on the cruelty of girl bullying and invites girls to join its “Kind Campaign” which brings awareness and healing to the negative and lasting affects of girl-against-girl “offense.”
Finding Kind is by Laura Parsekian and Molly Stroud, two friends, Pepperdine University students, and first-time filmmakers, who were victims of “mean girls.” Their suffering led them on a cross-country road trip with their moms to document on film the cruelty of girl bullying. In their 10,000-mile journey, the women talked to over 30,000 girls, visited more than 60 cities, and set up “Truth Booths,” capturing tearful and poignant memories and confessions, from girls across the nation.
Divya Sriharan, a senior at The Grauer School and President of Grauer’s Girl Rising Club, states, “Self-esteem is such a huge issue that is at the base of all human behavior. If we can resolve self-esteem issues, we can stop the vicious cycle of bullying. Girl Rising is a club that boosts self-esteem while giving people space to discuss local and global topics.”
Sally Grauer, Middle School Admissions Counselor at The Grauer School, and Dianne Nichols, a retired local school principal, conceived the idea for a school girls’ club while attending University of San Diego’s International’s Women’s Day breakfast in 2013. After showing the inspirational trailer for the movie “Girl Rising” at a school assembly, the Grauer Girl Rising Club was born. In its first year, the club organized a film screening of Girl Rising. The event attracted over 300 attendees and donations received were given to several non-profit organizations that support women including, Girl Rising, Room to Read, the Malala Fund and Stone by Stone.
The club’s mission statement is: “We are the building blocks to change the world, empowering females one girl at a time.” The club’s goal is to help provide education for girls around the world. Together, with invited speakers, girls explore and discuss challenges girls face abroad and at home. In addition to the Finding Kind screening, the club is participating in a walk to benefit a Delhi, India slum school, and will host a “Girls’ Interactive Workshop” featuring psychologist, Dr. Adria O’Donnell. The foci of Dr. O’Donnell’s workshop on April 17th is “to help girls talk openly about their social stressors and to provide them with more effective tools for expressing their needs and maintaining their personal integrity.”
Nearly one in three students admits to being bullied, is afraid to talk about it, and lists it as a concern regarding personal safety. In a series of interviews with girls, women, and experts, Finding Kind shows that these girls have a lot to say. The film has been covered by Dr. Phil, CBS News, and Variety. It was recently named Best Documentary at the Palm Beach Women’s International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Sally Grauer states, “Almost all girls experience the ‘mean girl’ phenomena on some level and its impact can be devastating. This film, like the Girl Rising Club, looks at problems girls face and offers solutions, ways to unite girls and ignite their capacity for compassion and kindness-- towards each other and the world.”
The Finding Kind Great Conversations Event is open to the public. In addition to screening the film, The Girl Rising Club will be providing light tea and desserts Grauer School’s counselor, Shelley Boniwell, will be leading a discussion after the film. Proceeds are going to benefit The Grauer School’s Girl Rising Club. The film will start at 3:00 p.m. in The Grauer School’s Great Hall. Suggested admission donation is $5. The film is recommended for students in and above middle school (11 years of age and older) and all parents.
The Grauer School, a grades 7-12 private college preparatory school, is located at 1500 S. El Camino Real in Encinitas, CA. Grauer is currently accepting applications for summer school. Learn more information online at www.grauerschool.com or by calling (760) 274-2118.
About The Grauer School
The Grauer School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a member of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), and is the only school in the region to be honored as a designated UNESCO school. The Grauer School was named one of Outside magazine’s Best 10 Places to Work in the United States in 2013. The school serves as a successful educational model for hundreds of private schools around the world through the Small Schools Coalition (SSC) established by Founding Head, Dr. Stuart Grauer.
Finding Kind is by Laura Parsekian and Molly Stroud, two friends, Pepperdine University students, and first-time filmmakers, who were victims of “mean girls.” Their suffering led them on a cross-country road trip with their moms to document on film the cruelty of girl bullying. In their 10,000-mile journey, the women talked to over 30,000 girls, visited more than 60 cities, and set up “Truth Booths,” capturing tearful and poignant memories and confessions, from girls across the nation.
Divya Sriharan, a senior at The Grauer School and President of Grauer’s Girl Rising Club, states, “Self-esteem is such a huge issue that is at the base of all human behavior. If we can resolve self-esteem issues, we can stop the vicious cycle of bullying. Girl Rising is a club that boosts self-esteem while giving people space to discuss local and global topics.”
Sally Grauer, Middle School Admissions Counselor at The Grauer School, and Dianne Nichols, a retired local school principal, conceived the idea for a school girls’ club while attending University of San Diego’s International’s Women’s Day breakfast in 2013. After showing the inspirational trailer for the movie “Girl Rising” at a school assembly, the Grauer Girl Rising Club was born. In its first year, the club organized a film screening of Girl Rising. The event attracted over 300 attendees and donations received were given to several non-profit organizations that support women including, Girl Rising, Room to Read, the Malala Fund and Stone by Stone.
The club’s mission statement is: “We are the building blocks to change the world, empowering females one girl at a time.” The club’s goal is to help provide education for girls around the world. Together, with invited speakers, girls explore and discuss challenges girls face abroad and at home. In addition to the Finding Kind screening, the club is participating in a walk to benefit a Delhi, India slum school, and will host a “Girls’ Interactive Workshop” featuring psychologist, Dr. Adria O’Donnell. The foci of Dr. O’Donnell’s workshop on April 17th is “to help girls talk openly about their social stressors and to provide them with more effective tools for expressing their needs and maintaining their personal integrity.”
Nearly one in three students admits to being bullied, is afraid to talk about it, and lists it as a concern regarding personal safety. In a series of interviews with girls, women, and experts, Finding Kind shows that these girls have a lot to say. The film has been covered by Dr. Phil, CBS News, and Variety. It was recently named Best Documentary at the Palm Beach Women’s International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Social Justice Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
Sally Grauer states, “Almost all girls experience the ‘mean girl’ phenomena on some level and its impact can be devastating. This film, like the Girl Rising Club, looks at problems girls face and offers solutions, ways to unite girls and ignite their capacity for compassion and kindness-- towards each other and the world.”
The Finding Kind Great Conversations Event is open to the public. In addition to screening the film, The Girl Rising Club will be providing light tea and desserts Grauer School’s counselor, Shelley Boniwell, will be leading a discussion after the film. Proceeds are going to benefit The Grauer School’s Girl Rising Club. The film will start at 3:00 p.m. in The Grauer School’s Great Hall. Suggested admission donation is $5. The film is recommended for students in and above middle school (11 years of age and older) and all parents.
The Grauer School, a grades 7-12 private college preparatory school, is located at 1500 S. El Camino Real in Encinitas, CA. Grauer is currently accepting applications for summer school. Learn more information online at www.grauerschool.com or by calling (760) 274-2118.
About The Grauer School
The Grauer School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a member of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), and is the only school in the region to be honored as a designated UNESCO school. The Grauer School was named one of Outside magazine’s Best 10 Places to Work in the United States in 2013. The school serves as a successful educational model for hundreds of private schools around the world through the Small Schools Coalition (SSC) established by Founding Head, Dr. Stuart Grauer.
Contact
The Grauer School
Traci Kitaoka
760-274-2115
www.grauerschool.com
sarahunt@grauerschool.com, 760-944-6777
Traci Kitaoka
760-274-2115
www.grauerschool.com
sarahunt@grauerschool.com, 760-944-6777
Contact
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