Participants will leave with a sense of empowerment, equipped with newfound knowledge, skills, and inspiration to take on challenges and pursue their dreams.
Participants will feel excited, welcomed, and energized.
Participants will have opportunities for reflection to deepen their understanding and personal growth.
FACILITATOR PREPARATION RESOURCES
Definition: Self awareness is: “conscious knowledge of one’s character, feelings, motives, and desires.” Self-awareness is one way in which we grow to know ourselves better, and in doing so we can understand our fellow humans a little bit better as well.
Review the purpose of Girls Rising Strong:
Girls Rising Strong is a space where we value kindness and work to lift each other up. Where we learn ways to be brave and strong in a world that sometimes tries to push us down. And where we work to become people with integrity who always try to do the right thing – even when it’s hard.
The purpose of adolescence is to bridge the gap between childhood and maturity. Emergent self is the self that you are trying to discover.
Read through the entire session plan, making note of talking points and researching any examples and references that are unfamiliar to you.
SESSION SCHEDULE
Time
Description
20-25 minutes
Community Building
20-25 minutes
Exploring Trait
25-35 minutes
Experiential/Hands-On Learning
20-25 minutes
Making Sense
10 minutes
Closing Circle
In today’s fast-paced, pressure-filled world, adolescence has become a tougher journey than ever before. With skyrocketing rates of anxiety, social media pressures, and academic demands, girls and boys are facing unprecedented challenges.
But the Elevate Adolescence Programs (EAPs) are here to change that story.
The world is no longer as simple as it once was. Tweens and teens today are not just growing up—they’re growing up fast, caught in the whirlwind of societal expectations, digital comparison, and an education system that’s often out of sync with their natural development. What is the Result? Rising rates of anxiety, identity confusion, and a worrying sense of disconnection (Twenge, J. M. and Campbell, W. K., 2018). Many adolescent girls grapple with the pressure of conforming to impossible standards of success, friendship, and beauty which leads them to mental health issues, manifesting as low self-esteem, social anxiety, and body image struggles.
On the other side, boys face a different but equally complex set of challenges. Often caught between traditional ideas of masculinity and modern expectations, many adolescent boys feel pressure to suppress emotions or meet external standards of strength and success. This internal conflict can lead to disengagement and a lack of motivation, with boys frequently withdrawing from academic and social responsibilities when they grow up.
This troubling trend has led parents, educators, and experts to ask a crucial question: how can we provide adolescents with the support they truly need, rather than what they are receiving?
Elevate Adolescence Program (EAP): Redefining What Possible is for Today’s Tween and Teens
Enter the Elevate Adolescence Program (EAP), a pioneering organization dedicated to helping adolescents find clarity, strength, and resilience. With signature programs like Girls Rising Strong and Boys Breaking Through, EAP is providing adolescents with the tools they need to not just survive but thrive in a rapidly changing world. Our focus is on helping these young people grow, develop, and progress – consistently and meaningfully- toward becoming the best version of themselves. By addressing the unique challenges faced by young girls and boys, EAP empowers adolescents to build character, deepen emotional intelligence, and not just discover but nurture, cultivate, and fortify their core values and identities as they grow.
“We are on a mission to restore hope, resilience, and a strong sense of self in adolescents,” says the EAP team. “Our programs are designed to empower young people by fostering deep self-awareness, and gradually cultivating virtuous character traits. These qualities equip adolescents with the essential skills they need to succeed- not just during adolescence, but throughout every stage of their lives, personally, professionally, and socially.”
Why Are Girls Feeling More Pressure Than Ever?
According to research, girls today are reporting higher rates of anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues than any previous generation (Sax, 2010). The constant presence of social media, the race for academic achievement, and the pressure to maintain a certain image have placed immense burdens on young girls.
EAP’s Girls Rising Strong program directly addresses these challenges by helping girls focus on building an internal identity that’s based on Character and Integrity, not external validation. The program dives deep into the issues that often drive girls to anxiety and self-doubt, including body image, social comparison, and self-worth
By teaching critical skills like media literacy, positive body image, and resilience training, Girl Rising Strong guides participants to embrace who they are—Free from the expectations of peers and perfectionism portrayed on social media.
“Girls today are wired to seek approval, often at the cost of their own happiness and self-worth,” the EAP team explains. “We’re here to disrupt that cycle and show them they have the power to define themselves.”
On the other side of the spectrum, adolescent boys face challenges that often go Unspoken and Unheard. With fewer male role models, societal confusion about masculinity, and the allure of escapism through gaming and media, many boys find it difficult to stay motivated and engaged in school and social life.
EAP’s Boys Breaking Through program tackles this head-on, helping boys understand the true meaning of strength, character, and purpose. By providing a safe environment where boys can explore their identities and redefine masculinity, the program instills a sense of responsibility, accountability, and emotional intelligence— all while fostering Character Development.“We know that boys often face unique pressures—pressures that sometimes cause them to retreat from engagement, self-confidence, and purpose,” the EAP team says. “Boys Breaking Through offers them tools they need to approach life with strength and empathy.”
