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Wild girls on the right track By CHRISTINA SMITH Program at Moulton keeps girls off streets, raises their confidence Thirteen-year-old Kym Leothi doesn't know where she would be if she had not become a Wild Girl. Before joining the Wild Girls three years ago, Kym, an eighth-grader at Moulton Extended Learning Center, wasn't doing well in classes. Now, she's nearly an A student. One of 15 girls participating in the after-school program at Moulton, Kym now dreams of becoming a pediatrician. She said Wild Girls has helped her life. "I wasn't the best behaved kid," said Kym, who lives on the city's west side. "(Wild Girls) makes me want to do and try new things that will better me." Wild Girls was created three years ago by the Urban Family Ministries of Des Moines. Carmen Lampe Zeitler, executive director of the agency, said she remembers a young girl who dreamed of being a veterinarian and she didn't want the girl to lose that dream. So Wild Girls was created. The purpose of the program, Wild Girls director Naomi Kirstein said, is to help girls who live with the daily struggles of life in the inner city. The middle school girls in the program are taught that they have a voice that needs to be heard. "You can't just tell girls not to get pregnant," Kirstein said. "You have to provide them with experiences so they can find out what they can do. They have to have the tools, information and language to empower them." Thirteen-year-old Angelique Hilson, a seventh-grader at Moulton who lives on the city's north side, said the program has changed her life. This is her second year as a Wild Girl and she said the program has helped her overcome her shyness. "I would probably be running the streets," said Angelique, who wants to become a fashion designer, "but Wild Girls makes you a stronger person and better in school. I know it's given me more confidence in myself." This year, the group received an $8,000 grant from the Chrysalis Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports women's groups. The diverse group meets every Monday with mentors to discuss issues including sexuality, finances and relationships with boys. The group has a summer retreat every year and two hookups, which are a chance for the girls to share with the community about their experiences. The Wild Girls also have given back to the community. Last year, Zeitler said, the girls raised money to help alleviate the cost of prescription drugs for senior citizens at Primary Health Care in Des Moines. They also raised money to buy diapers and formula for teenage moms. Mary Avila, whose 12-year-old daughter, Beth Roberts, is in Wild Girls, said the program is a great outlet for the seventh-grader. "It gives her something to think about besides boys and the street," Avila said. "She's not as selfish anymore and she actually has a dream now of writing poetry. These girls have been given chances they never would have been given." The girls are working to create a newsletter. So far, they have made a CD of original music and a video of their community. During a workshop in June they created a 25-minute skit called "Act Like a Dreamer" with the help of actress T. Valada Viars of New York City. The skit is about dealing with teen pregnancy, hanging out with the wrong crowd, peer pressure and being made fun of by others. On Nov. 17, eight Wild Girls will perform their skit in Chicago at the National Teen Network Convention. Ankeny resident Tammy Guild is one of five Wild Girls mentors. She said she has seen tremendous change in the girls during the past three years. "They are very quiet and their demeanor is unsure of who they are," Guild said. "But when they graduate (from Wild Girls), they carry their heads up and are confident and know who they are." Other Moulton students who participate in Wild Girls are Miranda Trogdon, Cynthia Gallardo, Aleisha Smith, Angelica Ortega, Dominique Patton, Cheyenne Caldwell, Breeanna Brown, McKenna Baker, Rebecca Sandoval San Elias, Mercedes Downy, Claudia Gonzalez and Charolae Bradley. |
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