By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—Preteen and teenage years can be a very difficult time for young girls. St. Vincent’s One Nineteen’s Sept. 13 Girl Power class seeks to prepare girls with valuable information and support for those sometimes hectic years.

Geared toward girls ages eight to 12, the class covers changes the body undergoes during preteen and teen years as well as the importance of good nutrition and staying active.

“It covers a broad range of subjects that it seems the schools don’t really cover anymore,” St. Vincent’s One Nineteen Women’s Education Coordinator Mary Maloney said. “It covers the changes that are starting to happen with them, how to stay active and how to care for (themselves).”

Preteen and teenage years can also be emotionally difficult for girls, Maloney explained. During these years, girls often feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. The Girl Power class focuses on building girls’ self-confidence and the importance of forming positive relationships with other girls.

“That is a tough time they are going through, we want to build that strong foundation,” Maloney said. “(We talk about) how to be positive for girls around them and to work as a team, build each other up and not break each other down.”

St. Vincent’s One Nineteen has been running the Girl Power class for about three years, and Maloney said she’s received positive feedback from both girls and parents of girls who have participated.

“The girls that take the class just love it,” Maloney said.

The Girl Power class will be held at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen on Sept. 13 from 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Registration costs $5 per girl. For more information and to reserve a place in the class, call 939-7878.