Inspire club, named to convey a message of positive influence for girls, focuses on self-esteem and empowerment, something with which high school students may often struggle. The initial goal of this club, according to co-founder Abby Ordillas, was to form a support group for BHS girls.

“Inspire club aims to help others, so everyone that wants to join is welcome,” said Ordillas, who co-founded the club with Samantha Tall and guidance counselors Ashley Saferight and Carol Grooms.

At first glance, inspire club may seem like a group of girls with few things in common. However, after spending less than an hour in the guidance office on the third Tuesday of the month, it was easy to see how all of these people from all different grades are alike. They are friendly and welcoming, making club meetings feel comfortable and safe.

“The original goal was to find a way to support girls in a positive way and to help them grow in high school and in their life,” said Ordillas. According to Ordillas and Tall, everything is going as planned.

This group is exclusively for girls; however, Tall mentioned that it may be a good idea for the boys to have a group like this as well.

“I think (the boys) could use a group because a lot of them probably want a support system … we’re all human and we all need support,” said Tall.

Guidance counselors Carol Grooms and Ashley Saferight also play a big role in leading the group; however, Grooms claimed that she would like the group to utilize and strengthen the girls’ leadership skills.

“I think my goal for inspire is to be more student-led,” Grooms told the Beachcomber, “that’s what I would like to see.”

“I think people should join this club if they want to find a way to improve upon the strengths that they already have,” Ordillas said.

During the meeting, the girls were handed a sheet of paper with various questions and asked to evaluate their own self-esteem regarding subjects such as school life, personal life and home life. The questions were asked in the form of statements, asking to rate on a scale of 1-4 how closely they relate to that sentence. The statements included how the student feels about her friends, her teachers, her grades, and her parents, but mostly focused on herself and her confidence. It was a sort of personality quiz, assessing each individual’s strengths and weaknesses.

Inspire club not only helps students understand themselves, but also helps them set goals with the support of peers and the guidance of two helpful and enthusiastic counselors.

Saferight shared very positive things about the club and the girls in it. “I just really like how open everyone is. Everyone is very willing to share their experiences,” she said.

The club meets the second and fourth Tuesday of every month in the guidance office.