Campbellton Middle School (CMS) recently held a Girls Circle™ program for girls in grade 5 and 6. The program provided a safe space where girls could express themselves and participate in thought-provoking activities related to friendships, anti-bullying, self-esteem, self-awareness and girls’ solidarity.        At CMS, the girls worked on gaining a greater understanding of themselves, as well as accepting all parts of themselves as unique and special. They also learned about accepting others, offering compassion, and the importance of not judging others. The participants challenged one another to express themselves more clearly, and they gained self-confidence, problem-solved personal conflicts and learned about respect and friendship through creative and interactive activities.      One of the activities was the creation of a mandala, which focused on self-reflection over what they learned about during the six week program, as well as an opportunity to share with other students what they have learned. For this project the girls each added their own artwork in the circle to create one large design and they wrote positive messages in the center. The artwork will be given to the school to be displayed.      The program was funded by both the Maison Notre Dame and Restigouche Outreach Services. Mayme Lefurgey, the Domestic Violence Outreach Coordinator, facilitated the program and worked closely with the girls.      Stefanie Savoie, the Executive Director for Maison Notre Dame said that “Even though Maison Notre Dame and Restigouche Outreach Services respond largely to women in crisis by providing one-on-one support and shelter for survivors of domestic violence, we also believe in integrating preventative and educational components in order to offer a holistic response to violence against women.”      Savoie also feels that by offering an outlet for girls to express themselves, and gain confidence, they will be more likely to grow up choosing positive and healthy relationships. “Both organizations seek to work together to raise awareness on all levels and target different age groups in the community, and youth is a key part of our vision for a sustainable, safe and prosperous Restigouche,” added Savoie.      Jennifer Grass, the CMS Guidance Counsellor said that “A focus for CMS is to cultivate and maintain a safe environment for all students where they will thrive and feel good about themselves, which gives them the courage to stand up and speak with absolute confidence.  Girls Circle™ beautifully reinforced what is so important to the values we have at our school.”      CMS will partner again with Maison Notre Dame next school year, to offer new sessions for Girls Circle™ for students in grades 5 to 8.  Grass added, “We are very grateful to Mayme Lefurgey and Maison Notre Dame for caring about our students’ emotional growth.  The students have learned valuable tools, which will carry them throughout their school years.”      To learn more about the Girls Circle™ Program, visit their website at www.onecirclefoundation.org.