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Police Officers, Lawyers, Teachers, and Artists Inspire Girls to be Their Best at BOCES Women Helping Girls With Choices Conference
 | | Grace Ostermann (middle), Library Media Specialist in Somers, with Sonya Kuzminski (left) of Haldane and Julia Albrecht of Croton. |
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Even when Carolyn Bligh's high school guidance counselor told her she wasn't strong at anything and wouldn't get into college, she didn't give up her life-long love of art. Today, Ms. Bligh is the Chief Executive Officer of Bligh Graphics, a branding and graphic communications firm she founded in 1993 and has built into a leader in the maledominated construction indus- try.
Ms. Bligh was the keynote speaker at the 13th annual Women Helping Girls with Choices Conference held by Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES at its campus on October 19. She told the 82 middle school girls who attended that "they are important, can accomplish anything, and need only work to find and develop their talents."
The conference, which is designed to build self-esteem and broaden the career aspirations of girls, had participants from the Bedford, Briarcliff, Croton, Elmsford, Garrison, Haldane, Lakeland, Mahopac, North Salem, Ossining, and Somers school districts. The girls were selected by their districts.
Each school district also sent a mentor and a role model who lead groups of the girls in reading and discussing books about self-acceptance and about accomplished women. The girls also interviewed their role models, who included police officers, a government official, attorneys, a psychologist, and editor.
The role models also provided inspiration for the girls, including attorney Jamie Abrams who told them "It's important to support each other and even if you are not friends, accept each other's differences and strengths."
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