On Wednesday, March 11th, the 14th Annual Young Women LEAD Indiana Conference occurred and was reported to be a success with engaging speakers, activities, and sending all the attendees home feeling inspired.
This year’s theme was “Find Your Way”, meaning the conference centered on navigating through life and around its obstacles that can get in the way of a destination or goal.
The event host, Mary Anne Knapp, South Crawford Elementary School Principal, got the girls up out of their seats immediately, striking a pose based upon their individual personalities, in a “Would You Rather” series of questions.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Julia Garcia, continued to bring the energy by kicking off with a talent show, bringing dancers and singers from multiple singers to the stage, including one singer who reportedly sung on stage for the very first time.
Dr. Garcia then asked the entire auditorium to write down their biggest dream and what obstacle stands in their way of accomplishing that dream. Three students were randomly selected to join her on stage to talk about their dreams and obstacles. She then drove the message home to the entire group that they are enough.
From there, each student was given the choice to two sessions to attend, including:
- Mapping Your Next Move: Self Defense with Ed Messmer and Joe Randolph of Jasper School Self Defense, and Alex Misna of Kimball International
- Unlock Your Inner Compass: Yoga/Pilates with Samantha Gray of Fire Horse Yoga, Connie Egloff of Yes Power Yoga, and Andrea Schnaus of Yoga & Ancient Remedies LLC
- Navigating with Heart: Emotional Intelligence with Megan Durlauf and Dana Fuhrman of Dove Recovery House, and Amanda Hoesli of MasterBrand Cabinets
- Chart Your Course: Preparing For College with Mandy Osbourne of VUJC
- Success GPS: Tips for Academic Success with Melania Lindauer of Salience NeuroRehab, and Jim Meling, a retired educator
During lunch, students had the opportunity to receive signed books by Dr. Garcia as well as the chance to take photos at the photo booth.
They then reconvened in the auditorium for a panel discussion, “Trailblazers: Women Working in Male Dominated Fields”. Leaders from local businesses spoke about how they became successful by facing obstacles and using their leadership skills on a daily basis. The biggest message was, “Don’t be afraid to fail.”
Speakers included:
- Kimbra Gunselman, MasterBrand Cabinets, VP Bath
- Leslie Whitney, MasterBrand Cabinets, Director Finance
- Steffi Schmuecker, German American Bank, Commercial Banking Officer
- Sara Schmidt, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, Director of Driveline Manufacturing
The last attending speaker was Dr. Sue Ellspermann, former Lieutenant Governor of Indiana. Dr. Ellspermann spoke on her path to success in becoming Indiana’s 50th Lieutenant Governor, and also becoming the first female president of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. In addition to her successes, she also spoke about the many obstacles she had to overcome. She drove home Dr. Garcia’s previous message: “You are enough!”
The goal of this year’s committee was to provide safe space for girls in Southern Indiana to come and feel inspired, empowered, and to leave feeling even better than when they arrived. To ensure that they achieved this goal, the committee organized a survey which received the following responses:
“I’m going to use the resources I learned about in the breakout session to be successful.”
“I will be more confident and believe in my dreams and goals.”
“I learned the various things to think about before applying to college, ways to help your brain study in a way that works for you, and how to navigate success in our career.”
“I learned that we are all just girls trying to live in this difficult world. I think my favorite take away was that if I just talk, SOMEONE will listen.”
“My value is not determined by others.”
“I learned that I am enough.”
Through encouraging speakers and strategic break out sessions, the goal of the conference was to provide students with tools and coping techniques to help them Find Their Way towards their goals.
This event is held yearly for local high school girls, and the theme changes every year. Those who are eligible and interested may register for next year’s even when the registration window opens at the beginning of the year. The conference is limited to 500 attendees, and the steering committee will contact each high school and coordinate the registration with them. The steering committee changes every year, as it is made up of SOAR attendees and advised by the Young Women LEAD Advisory Committee.
For more information on Young Women LEAD, visit their website.
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