Enlightening our Year 8 Girls

An uplifting, entertaining and thought-provoking presentation to our Year 8 girls by Danni Miller of Enlighten Education was a wonderful way to begin the final term of 2022.

Enlighten education’s award-winning school programs and workshops encourage teenage girls to decode the mixed messages they receive and help them develop self-worth and resilience.

Danni gave the girls practical skills to help them cope with conflict in their friendship groups, overcome bullying and understand and deal with issues involved with domestic violence.

These often tricky conversations were delivered in a safe and nurturing environment.

Along with her presentation, Danni guided students through activities and group discussions before leaving them with a goodie bag full of gratitude cards and a badge.

While the girls were participating in this presentation, Year 8 Coordinator Nathan-Hunter Gerber ran an alternative program for Year 8 boys that focused on bullying and team-building exercises.

Below are some reflections from students on the Enlighten Education presentation.

The workshop that the Year 8 girls completed was about self-love, friendships, and relationships. We learned how to handle situations involving others with maturity and love and appreciate everyone in our life. This workshop was really useful and taught us a lot about ourselves and how we shouldn’t change for others. We are all very grateful the school was able to provide this opportunity, as the entire day was so much fun. Abbey V, 8J

During last week’s presentation, Danni told us about the challenges of her upbringing, beginning when she was only two years old. She told us the good, the bad and the ugly of her teenage life (including boys) and the mindset that got her through it.

Along with this, we were told about a more pressing issue that is a part of the world that we live in, which is relationship abuse. Relationship abuse comes in many forms, and we may not even know that we are in an abusive relationship until it starts to take a toll on our physical and mental health.

Although there are well-known types of abuse, such as physical and verbal, we learned about the less talked about types, such as social isolation, digital abuse, and sociocultural abuse and where we can reach out to get help.

Danni passed her wisdom in quote cards for us to carry. She also gave us a pin in the shape of a butterfly. This represents the metamorphosis from a small, insecure little caterpillar into a beautiful and new butterfly. Many Year 8 students are wearing it on their uniform with pride.

The presentation covered the information we need to become strong, independent young women equipped with the knowledge to deal with whatever situation may arise, whether it be with our self-image, confidence and relationships. It was a very moving presentation for all of us that renewed our confidence, brought us closer to each other and helped us understand ourselves and others on a deeper level. Nicole B, 8B

The presentation for Year 8 girls was led by an incredible instructor named Danni. We learned about relationships and how to strengthen them, how to solve problems, and most importantly, how to accept ourselves for who we are. Through a variety of activities, this experience helped deepen the connection between all of the girls. We even shared happy tears after we completed a task in which we wrote about what we loved or admired about each other. Overall, this was an incredible experience, and Danni was such a wonderful soul who made everyone in the room feel welcomed, loved and accepted. Sneha S, 8B

I found the talk very inspiring. We learned about relationships with others, supporting each other and loving ourselves for who we are. It is important to remember this because we often get caught up in comparing ourselves to each other instead of being grateful for what we have been blessed with. Selena H, 8J

The presentation from Enlighten Education covered topics like body image, self-respect, the respect of others, consent and how to recognise unhealthy and healthy friendships and romantic relationships. We answered questions and had open discussions on each topic. We were given affirmation cards throughout the presentation that included many positive statements. We also received butterfly pins, part of a 21-day challenge to be kind to ourselves. Danni, our presenter and founder of Enlighten Education, shared some of her stories and those from other survivors of domestic violence. This presentation was not only ‘enlightening’ but educational, engaging and topical. I gained communication skills, learned about self-respect, respecting others and strategies for de-escalating a situation if I come across it one in the yard and outside school. Erin J, 8B

Danni explained various techniques for preventing conflict; without this, some girls would not have been aware of the multiple techniques for solving a disagreement. Danni also described the various types of abuse, including financial and physical assault. She explained that there are methods to keep these people out of your life and ways to escape abuse and progress in life. My favourite part of the presentation was the mindful reflection. I took this exercise seriously because I wanted my group to understand how I felt about them. I would recommend Danni to girls all over the world so that they can experience the same inspiration that I and the other girls did. Mongboe J, 8J