Each Thursday afternoon in June, the Bloom Enrichment Program will end with Bloom Moves led by Julia Rivas.

Julia Rivas is the mother of two beautiful children, a professional, a wife, a daughter, a friend, an artist, a member of the philanthropic community. She is a Zumba instructor and will soon begin her Yoga Teacher certification. She has a Facebook page called VidaJulieRivas and a blog where he shares some of his personal experiences.

During Bloom Moves, youth will engage in up to ten minutes of physical activity, such as Zumba. While we encourage all youth to participate, if girls are unable to participate, they can do a modified version in their home based on their comfort level. Each girl should adhere to her space, physical abilities, and medical restrictions.

Any girl who is uncomfortable sharing her video during Bloom Moves may hide video. If you have any questions, feel free to contact bloomenrichment@gmail.com.

The third session of the Bloom Enrichment Program uses the theme Blossoming in the Rain and features Dr. Lacretia “Cre” Dye  presenting the topic, Anxiety – We Are All Storykeepers.

Dr. Lacretia ‘Cre” Dye is a Western Kentucky University Professor, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), and Yoga teacher and enthusiast. She is absolutely in love with children and young adults and has been teaching, counseling, dancing, drumming and doing yoga with them for over 20 years! Dye has also conducted over 100 presentations and workshops on  topics geared towards young people. Some of these presentations include: Love More Stress Less, Black Minds Matter, Black Girl Magic, Living with Emotions But Not Being Your Emotion, Who’s in Control of Me and Identity, Purpose & Hope. 

Dye is excited for the opportunity to spend time with workshop participants discussing We Are All Storykeepers. She expressed, “Did you know that for every emotion you have, the body collects them as a part of your story? How we live, think, feel and behave is impacted by the stories we hear and tell ourselves.  In our session, we will move, be still, reflect, laugh and play in hope that every past sad, angry, fearful or anxious emotion we have can be released or re-storied for our wellness.”

Participants of the Bloom Enrichment Program can hear Dr. Lacretia Dye’s presentation on June 18, 2020.

The Bloom Enrichment Program will close out the summer session using the theme We Always Bloom, and feature Nerica Bowie presenting on the topic Resilience. 

Bowie is a mom, reverend in the Lord’s church, entrepreneur, mentor and a reinvention coach. When she was a teenager it was prophesied that she would be a world changer. Prior to accepting God’s path for her life, she would have to overcome major obstacles.  However, those experiences gave her the passion to help others ignite their faith, shatter glass ceilings and live their lives to the fullest. She has had the opportunity to preach, teach, speak and coach women from all walks of life.  

Bowie has over 20 years of experience in finance, teaching and leadership. Academically, she holds a Business degree from Austin Peay State University, MBA degree from Middle Tennessee State University and is pursuing a Doctorate of Education at Western Kentucky University. She is also a published author. 

Bowie said,  “This session provides resilience strategies to help participants identify their own abilities and inner resilience resources.”

Participants of the Bloom Enrichment Program can hear her presentation on June 25, 2020.

The second session of the Bloom Enrichment Program uses the theme We are Blossoming and features Mrs. Shante’ Galloway presenting the topic, Royal Etiquette – Every Queen Has Power.

Galloway has been an elementary educator within the Warren County Public School District for 12 years and was recognized as a Golden Apple Teacher in 2016. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University, and later returned to WKU to earn a Master of Arts in Education in Teacher Leadership with an Instructional Computer Technology Endorsement in 2014. 

In addition to teaching, Galloway serves her community through her church (Eleventh Street Baptist Church), sorority (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated), and love for others. 

Although Galloway has humbly accepted awards within the community and carried a number of titles, God’s child, wife, and boy mom are her most valued roles in life.

Galloway said, “Royal Etiquette – Every Queen Has Power… the power to know when to lead and when to follow. We will explore the character and posture of queens who protect and positively wield our power.”

By: Aurelia Spaulding, Bloom Visionary

On June 4, 2020, the first Bloom Enrichment Program will begin, and create a virtual mentoring program for girls ages 8-18  to blossom in social, emotional, physical, and mental wellness. For anyone deciding whether to register their daughter, niece, granddaughter, or youth group, here are five things to consider.

We hope you will register your girl(s) for the Bloom Enrichment Program because we believe and you believe….

1. She will enjoy learning more about the topics

Each week of the Bloom Enrichment Program builds upon the following week. Week One, “I am Blossoming,” promotes self awareness and touches on self-love, self-confidence, strengths, and self-perception depending on the small group. Week Two, “We Blossom Together,” promotes social awareness and opens conversations about empathy, awareness of feelings, bullying, and friendships depending on the small group. Week Three, “Blossoming in the Rain,” creates dialogue around pressures, stress, and managing anxiety. Then, Week Four, “We Always Bloom,” builds on the other three topics to hone in on the idea of adaptability, healthy thinking, wellness, and overcoming adversity. Topics vary by age and small group.

2. She will enjoy learning from women from different backgrounds.

If you are a parent/guardian who strives to expose your child to positive influences from different backgrounds, the Bloom Enrichment Program fits that description. The all-female list of presenters and coaches consist of college-educated parents, teachers, business owners, authors, and social workers from different racial backgrounds.

3. She will build upon a foundation that creates positive relationships in different areas of her life.

Each week, girls will be broken into groups no larger than ten and given opportunities to get to know their peers. The coaches plan to nurture an atmosphere that promotes openness and active listening. With the girls taking the lead in determining their standard for communication, we believe they are likely to create friendships that last a lifetime and continue practicing active listening after the program – in their relationships with family and teachers as well. 

4. She will foster connectivity and belonging 

“The Bloom Enrichment Program will provide the girl with a sense of community,” said Bloom Visionary Adria Whitlow. “It serves to foster connectivity and belonging.” 

Sometimes young people need a place to express themselves outside of the home and classroom. Each Bloom Enrichment Program session is broken into three parts including the main presenter, small group sessions with coaches, and closing physical activity. The variety of activities within the hour gives girls the opportunity to express themselves through conversation, movement, or call and response activity. These practices show them commonalities amongst their peers. It also fosters connectivity between the girls and the girls and their coaches. 

5. She could use guidance that reinforces a path to personal growth

“Bloom Summer Enrichment program is exactly the right kind of ‘soil’ to help each girl to blossom in their own way while creating a beautiful place where they can also gather with others, work on goals, talk things through, and still be #togetherathome,” said Bloom Visionary Danielle Brown.

There is an African proverb that says that “It takes a village to raise a child.” If you believe this, then it matters to you that your girl takes advantage of opportunities to learn from other adults and you may also strive to take advantage of opportunities that support and align with her personal growth. One concept behind this proverb is that sometimes girls need to hear from others what parents/guardians are already telling them. The Bloom Enrichment Program wants to be an opportunity for your girl to have exposure to positive figures and help young people identify factors that may pull them in the wrong direction. We want them to see themselves as a young person who is blooming. 

For more information on the Bloom Enrichment Program, visit bloomenrichment.org.