PALS Program - Growing Deep and Meaningful Friendships

The PALS girls have delved into the topic of friendship this semester!

We are especially proud of our young ladies as they engage a topic critical to human well-being and increasingly under challenge in an era dominated by the superficial relationships encouraged by social media. With an intentionality that would challenge any adult and an infectious enthusiasm, the girls learned and shared their thoughts on developing deep and meaningful friendships. Following the PALS character curriculum, our mentors devoted two or more classes to each character trait: respect, generosity, honesty, and gratitude.

By adopting a deliberate pace and delving into deeper conversations, these conversations have a lasting impact. Using stories from the Book of Virtues, Aesop's Fables, and Carl Sandburg poems, our mentors facilitated conversations regarding the power of words in the relationships we experience throughout our lives. By discussing the characteristics that make up friendship, the girls are better understanding and owning the requirements of building friendships that are meaningful and lasting.

As we shared delicious cookies in the last class, one of the girls remarked, "Mrs. Wilson, being a good friend takes work, but it's worth it." I cannot agree more. We want our PALS girls to understand that superficial friendships pale in comparison to true friendships. True friendships will support us throughout our lives... they sustain us through the joys and the inevitable sufferings. True friendships don’t just happen... they take a level of understanding and intentionality, and that's what we try to teach the girls through PALS.

The mentors and I are looking forward to Spring Semester when will engage in learning and developing the "heart of a servant." As future adults, wives, mothers, and leaders, we want our PALS girls to understand that it is far better to give than to receive.