Several stall doors and mirrors in a girls' bathroom at Victor Junior High School were recently adorned with positive messages.
Students behind the Young Women's Leadership Club service project want to help their classmates feel more confident.
The colorful artwork spells out inspiring quotes. "Strong girls lift others up," one says. Another one reads, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
"My favorite would probably be, 'Real girls aren't perfect and perfect girls aren't real,' " said Ellie Chapman, one of three seventh-grade girls who made the artwork.
The idea for the project came from teacher Karen Harrison. Harrison's friend lost her daughter to suicide 10 years ago.
"If somebody had told my friend's daughter that she was strong and she was beautiful," Harrison said, "maybe the outcome wouldn't have been the same."
Students said the inspiring messages are having the intended effect so far.
"One time I walked into the bathroom, a girl looked at the messages and I think she gasped a little," said seventh-grader Soraya Hammer. "I think she enjoyed them."
Several students said they are exposed to a flow of negative messages about body image and personal appearance from magazines and other media.
"I feel like a lot of girls are, like, losing confidence about how they look and how they feel about themselves," said Erin Malone, a seventh-grader. "I feel like if other people were there to, like, say nice things, or if they could have reminders that they are strong, they could feel better about themselves and not lose confidence."
The positive imagery is a pilot project. The school may expand it to other bathrooms and locker rooms, according to art teacher Christie Gordon.
"And this is contagious, so possibly other schools will follow our lead," Gordon said.
