A RARE OPPORTUNITY
by Shari Johnston
The Girls In Progress (GIP) program is still in its infancy at Mental
Health America, finishing its third year of mentorship and empowerment classes
for middle school girls in Licking County.
A critical component of the program has been the exposure to
professional, successful women in our community who are able to share the tools
and life lessons that have helped them find their path and their vocation.
It was a rare treat for 29 Licking Valley Middle School girls to attend a
Licking Memorial Hospital presentation prepared just for them by Sheila Miller,
Director of Development at LMH. Greeted
with breakfast bars, fruit, and yogurt, the girls settled in with their own
pretty blue water glasses to take home.
Speakers included Debbie Young, R.N., M.S., C.C.M., Vice President of
Patient Care Services; Veronica Link, Vice President Development & Public
Relations; Lorei Reinhard, B.S., M.T., (A.S.C.P)S.H, Director of Laboratory
Services; Anne Peterson, Vice President Human Resources & Support Services;
Alene Yeater, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., Licking Memorial Women’s Health; and Holly
Slaughter, Director of Human Resources.
The presentations were warm and personal, giving the girls a rare and
intimate glance into the lives of successful women who were once just like
them, trying to figure out what it was that they were to do with their
lives. Lorei Reinhard shared the
struggle that she had with math while in school, and how she found great joy in
pursuing a career in a laboratory, relying heavily on both math and science to
her great surprise. Some began at LMH as
volunteer candy stripers and worked their way up through hard work and
dedication. One began fresh out of high
school in the filing department. Now a
Vice President, she shared “whatever you do, be the very best you can be. It will stand out. People are watching, and you never know what
opportunities you may be given because of what they see in you.”
Each woman shared her personal struggles and triumphs as she found her way
into adulthood. Fast paced and intimate,
the morning flew by. The girls were very
engaged, with many questions and comments.
Teen volunteering and internships where explored, as was the particular educational
requirements for various positions within the hospital. Holly Slaughter finished with an amazingly
inclusive overview of Careers In Healthcare, customized by the particular
strengths and interests shared by each of the girls.
A great lunch together and an impromptu mini-tour by Sheila finished our
time together. It truly was a rare
opportunity for the girls to meet with and hear from such successful professionals,
in a setting that was informal, personal, and very encouraging of their own
journey as young women. You could see
the wheels turning, and girls trying on new shoes that they never would have
imagined before this experience. A heartfelt
thank you to Licking Memorial Hospital, Sheila Miller, and each speaker who
took time out of her day to extend a hand to our young Girls In Progress
ladies.
