Just this week, the U.S. Surgeon General issued new warnings for teens using social media.
Dr. Vivek Murthy says adolescent use of social media can be predictive of life dissatisfaction, especially in girls at the key developmental stage of 11-13 years old.
"We don't have sufficient guardrails around social media to make it safe for our kids, especially our youngest kids," said Dr. Murthy.
It's something Jill Petersen and Mary Frances of Girls Mentorship hear firsthand.
"If you don't get tagged in a photo. If a friend doesn't like what you posted. If you notice that your friends are having a get together without you and you weren't invited what that does to your self-esteem," said Frances.
It's also why they created a safe space for girls in the Valley to share and grow.
"Community is everything. I think a lot of times girls struggle individually, but when they come into a group that is safe and nonjudgmental to see, 'Oh my gosh, this girl who's sitting next to me also struggles with friendship, or also has negative self-talk.' It just validates her feelings and also realizes that she's not alone," said Petersen.
"We want to normalize that but also give like tools and strategies and create conversations that girls then can walk away and apply immediately into her life," added Frances.
Girls can learn these skills at their annual Pursue More Summer Camp.
"These kids coming up are going to be our changemakers, our lawmakers, our policy creators. It's our responsibility to speak the same language or loom them into the language that we want them to speak in order for our community to not just survive but thrive," said Frances. "So, our curriculum is really based on social-emotional learning which we love to refer to as your emotional intelligence. It's your people skills. It's how you understand how you show up in a room and how your energy affects whomever else is sitting right next to you."
The camp offers an expressive environment that focuses on five essential pillars.
"Those are empathy, respect for self and others, positive communication, self-awareness and personal responsibility," said Frances.
These are skills the team behind Girls Mentorship hope will last a lifetime.
Frances and Petersen also host a Podcast called "What's The Lesson" where parents and guardians can learn some of these skills to help empower their children.
