The Girls Loving Ourselves, or GLO, Empowerment Club at Baldwin Middle School celebrated Women’s History Month with a special empowerment ceremony late last month.
The GLO program has become a cornerstone of the school’s commitment to fostering an atmosphere of care, kindness and respect. Founded 10 years ago by special education teacher Patricia Greaves, the program was created to provide a safe, supportive space where girls can build confidence and self-respect, and develop a sense of belonging during the often challenging middle-school years.
“I created GLO based on my own experience as a middle-school student who often felt out of place and alone,” Greaves said. “Today those years can be even more challenging with the added pressures of social media, and many girls struggle with confidence and a sense of belonging.”
Greaves emphasized that middle school is a critical time for building confidence and identity, when students often navigate peer pressure and self-doubt. Programs like GLO, she said, help lay the foundation for resilience and self-expression that extend beyond the classroom.
Since its founding, GLO has grown into a leadership-focused initiative as well. With the support of middle school Principal Erica Taylor and school psychologist and club facilitator Ilana Melvin, the program encourages participants to support one another, practice self-affirmation and build the confidence to navigate both academic and social pressures.
The program’s emphasis on body positivity, leadership and peer support has helped students not only find their voices, but use them, inside and outside the classroom.
This year’s GLO Up & Show Up ceremony, on March 26, centered on entrepreneurship, leadership and communication, challenging students to step confidently into their potential and recognize the strength of their voices. The event highlighted the program’s mission of helping young women see themselves not only as students, but as future leaders and innovators.
“This event represents who we are at Baldwin Middle School,” Taylor said. “Opportunities like this remind our students that they are seen, they are valued, and they belong in every room they walk into.
“It also reflects our belief,” she added, “that learning extends beyond the classroom and into real-world experiences that shape confidence, purpose and identity.”
A key feature of the ceremony was a student-led “Shark Tank”-style presentation, in which participants pitched original business ideas to a panel of guest entrepreneurs. The exercise gave students a chance to apply real-world skills in problem-solving, public speaking and collaboration. The presence of accomplished women from the district reinforced a central message of the program — that there is no limit to what the girls can achieve.
“I learned that it’s OK to lose,” GLO participant Chloe Mills said. “The journey is far more important than the destination.”
During the ceremony, each GLO Club participant was presented with a brooch, a symbolic keepsake representing identity, confidence and self-expression that will continue to serve as a reminder for her to embrace who she is and act authentically and unapologetically.
“The brooch was chosen for its longstanding symbolism of identity, self-expression and quiet strength,” Melvin said. “Historically, it has represented more than an accessory — it reflects presence, intention and personal power.”
“Receiving the brooch felt empowering,” Chloe said. “It symbolizes not only growth, but the reminder that I’ve got this. As long as I’ve got that mindset, I can do anything.”
Taylor and Melvin said the growth they have seen in students involved in GLO extends far beyond a single event. Girls who were once hesitant to speak are now confidently sharing their ideas, advocating for themselves and stepping into leadership roles in the school.
For many participants, the program has enhanced not only their skills, but also their sense of identity and self-worth.
“Participating in GLO helped me feel more confident speaking up and being myself,” student Savannah R. said, adding that the program also strengthened her sense of belonging.
As it continues to grow, school leaders said its impact is already evident — not only in how students present themselves, but in how they support one another. The lessons learned through GLO, they said, extend far beyond middle school, shaping how participants approach challenges, relationships and future opportunities.
Most important, Taylor said, the message students carry forward is simple: “They are as strong as the woman next to them.”
