The Power of Being Brave: Students at Julia Morgan Take Inspiration from Role Models

by Sandra Luna, former Head of School, Julia Morgan School for Girls, Oakland, California, USA

In an unsettling world, being brave takes on different and significant meanings. However, it will always mean taking a chance when we do not necessarily know the outcome.

At Julia Morgan, we asked students to do this every day. We did it purposefully and thoughtfully, knowing how critical it was for a student’s growth. If we move through our fears, we inevitably become better and stronger for it.

Whether it is an introvert taking a positive risk by raising her hand, an extrovert giving others a chance to speak, a student interrupting a hurtful conversation, or leading a march, the brave student is forever changed, as are the witnesses. What starts as a singular act quickly becomes a communal one, with each brave act growing into a building block.

By encouraging students to take positive risks in small steps, we help them not be immobilized by fear with more significant life issues.

I began an annual Women of Courage Panel in Honor of Rosa Parks while at Julia Morgan. As I taught students about her work and the fight for justice then and now, I read more about her. With every story, I became more in awe of this woman who embodied bravery from childhood. While the women we honored greatly inspired adults, the students were deeply impacted in a long-lasting way. Hearing directly from women who had taken positive risks made a significant difference. So how do we take those leaps that stretch us in ways we cannot imagine?

Career Girls offers girls around the world the opportunity to hear from hundreds of role models, engaging and empowering them to set and achieve academic and career goals and to believe in their ability to succeed. Free and noncommercial, this online platform assures girls have access to diverse and accomplished role models, connecting girls with women who can help them believe in themselves, imagine what is possible, and achieve their dreams. The site is replete with information and inspiration. The Teachers Toolkit and videos, such as the one below, are just two examples.

By supporting students to take positive risks regularly, we help prepare them to take positive risks throughout their lives. Through schools, non-profits, and community groups, we support every girl to become and be a bold and robust voice. Let us prepare them to ask hard questions, to discern the choices before them. At the core of our practices is the critical importance of assuring every girl is on the path to being the architect of her own life and, by doing so, positively impacting the lives around her.

When we need the inspiration to move forward, remember those who have shown bravery in small and bold ways, every day, and once-in-a-lifetime ways.

Remember no matter the fear, it is up to us to help girls know they can shape their future and to remember that fear is indeed an invitation to be brave.