Why I Love She Became

By Abby Posey, Director of Remote Engagement

My favorite She Became activity is arguably the most simple thing we do with our students. Every year, on the first day of the program, we ask our mentees to draw what they want to be when they grow up. When they’re done drawing, the girls present their dream jobs to the rest of the group and explain why they want to pursue that particular career. I always love hearing all of the different things they want to be when they grow up and seeing how they envision themselves in the future. Aarianna shared that she wants to be a doctor for kids with blood diseases, and drew herself with a white coat and a stethoscope. Hailey wants to be a chef, and drew herself wearing a white chef’s hat and making her favorite food, fettuccine alfredo. London doesn’t know exactly what she wants to be when she grows up, but she knows she wants to do something that will help other people.

That desire to do work that benefits other people is the reason I stay involved with She Became. I see it in our mentors, our mentees, and in the adults that help us keep our program running smoothly. This year, as our students showed off their artistic abilities via Zoom, Fern Creek Elementary’s school counselor Mrs. Holcombe expressed how proud she was to be a part of a program that inspires young girls to work toward their goals and use their careers to help others. She said that she remembered wanting to be a teacher at their age, and that it was a “full circle moment” for her to help students work toward their goals.

That desire to do work that benefits other people is the reason I stay involved with She Became.

At school, at home, and in our Zoom meetings, our students are surrounded by confident women who use their accomplishments to help others. Mrs. Holcombe, Mrs. Exley, and all of the different women who work with She Became are examples to our students of what it means to achieve your goals while lifting each other up. That is my goal for our girls, regardless of what they want to be when they grow up.