On Monday, May 12, more than 200 seventh-grade girls from across the School District of Lancaster filled the Ware Center, 66 from Jackson MS, not just with their presence, but with their laughter, questions, stories, and ideas. They were there to be seen, to feel supported, and to start shaping the next version of themselves.
The 6th Annual Teenage Girls Empowerment Summit, hosted by the Girls Empowerment Mentoring Program and led by founder Vondol Hammond, continues to be one of the most impactful experiences we offer our middle school students. Born from a desire to support girls at one of the most transitional stages of their lives, this event is tailored to meet them where they are.
Middle school can be difficult terrain to navigate. For girls, especially those from marginalized communities, it can be filled with messages about how they should look, act, think, and feel. This summit pushes back on those messages. It creates a space where they are allowed, encouraged, to be themselves. Fully. Loudly. Unapologetically.
A safe place to explore identity
The summit has grown over the years, but it remains grounded in one purpose: to affirm and equip girls with tools to better understand who they are and who they can become. The program prioritizes identity development, mental health, personal expression, and emotional resilience. But more than anything, it centers belonging. From icebreakers and affirmations to deeper group conversations, every activity was designed with intention to foster connections and build trust.
For Vondol Hammond, the focus on seventh graders is personal. “Middle school is where everything changes,” she said. “Emotions run high, identities begin to form, and self-worth is still so malleable. This is where we plant seeds.”
Through her work, Vondol and her team have also built out yearlong programming for sixth graders at Jackson Middle School and continue supporting girls through eighth grade and beyond. What started as a one-day event has grown into a full mentoring ecosystem. Last week, she even hosted a photo op for students who’ve graduated from the program and are now high schoolers.
A keynote that reshaped the room
One of the most moving moments of the day came during the keynote, a live recording of the Living in 3D Power podcast by Dr. Amber Sessoms and her 10-year-old daughter, Emma Sessoms. What could have been a simple Q&A turned into something much deeper: a raw, thoughtful exchange between a mother and daughter that invited the entire room into a conversation about self-doubt, curiosity, love, and purpose.
Emma, poised and confident on stage, guided the dialogue with ease. She asked questions like: What does it mean to be a better person? What do you do with the voices that tell you you’re not good enough? Who inspires you? Her presence was magnetic, not because she was performing, but because she was being real.
Her mother, Dr. Sessoms, is a school psychologist who brings her lived experience and academic expertise into every conversation. She spoke candidly about the internal messages girls carry with them, stories about not being enough, not fitting in, not being worthy, and how those stories often come from systems that were never built to include them in the first place.
When one student in the audience shouted out “Imposter syndrome!” in response to a question, the whole room nodded. It was a moment of collective recognition a truth that lives inside too many girls too early. Dr. Sessoms didn’t rush to explain it away. She paused, let the moment breathe, and then reminded the room that these narratives aren’t fixed. They can be unlearned.
“You don’t need to wait to be seen as a leader,” she said. “You already are.”
Workshops that sparked reflection
Throughout the day, students participated in breakout sessions designed to support emotional health, creative expression, and decision-making. Whether journaling about their future goals, learning how to reframe negative self-talk, or participating in group discussions about identity and relationships, the girls were encouraged to speak openly and support one another.
There were no grades. No “right” answers. Just space to be curious, to ask hard questions, and to connect. Facilitators reflected the diversity of our student body and brought their lived experiences into the room, proving once again that representation is not just valuable; it’s necessary.
For many girls, it was their first time being in a space this open, this welcoming, and this dedicated to their growth.
What comes next
The summit may only last a day, but the work continues. Through the Girls Empowerment Mentoring Program, students receive ongoing mentorship and community support as they move through middle school and beyond. These relationships are built on trust, consistency, and care.
We also know that this work doesn’t fall on one organization alone. As a district, we are committed to continuing this investment in our girls through programming, partnerships, and policies that reflect their worth and potential.
We are grateful to Vondol Hammond and the entire Girls Empowerment team, to the Ware Center for their hospitality, to Dr. Amber and Emma Sessoms for sharing their gifts, and to every student who showed up ready to be seen, heard, and celebrated. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.
Thank you to Penn Medicine, High Companies, Lancaster County Community Foundation, Hazel I. Jackson Foundation, Cargas, We & Company and Bright Side Opportunities Center for making this possible.
