"Brooklyn Castle"

The Girls Inc. Leadership group from Berry Elementary took a field trip to the Angelika Theater in Dallas to watch the documentary, "Brooklyn Castle".

 

“BROOKLYN CASTLE tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.”

Many thanks to Time Warner Cable for making this possible for our leadership group.  The girls thoroughly enjoyed their time at the Angelika Theater.

 

Some of the lessons they learned from the film were:

 

Practice every day and that’s how you get better – Dejah, age 11

 

Never give up on your dreams – Joanna, age 11

 

If it’s something that you love try harder – Skyler. age 11

 

The queen is the strongest piece on the chess board – Kaitlyn, age 11

Thank you, Time Warner Cable!!

Fort Worth Nature Center

On Monday October 8th, the Girls Inc. staff and the girls from Eastern Hills High School traveled to the Ft. Worth Nature Center and Refuge.  The FWNCR  is a hidden jewel- a wilderness comprised of forests, prairies, and wetlands reminiscent of how much of the Fort Worth/Dallas Metroplex once looked.

Photo taken by Sha'Toria T.

The drive to The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge resembled a scene from a scary movie.  The girls screamed, “wrong turn” and “jeepers creepers”, for a few minutes upon our arrival.  They were unsure of their unfamiliar surroundings and asked several times about snakes, and if we (Girls Inc. staff) knew where we were going.  While they were a little unsettled at the beginning, they came around and ended up appreciating the peace of their surroundings.   Their comments eventually turned in to, “this is a place I would like to come for some peace and quiet”, while others said, “it is very relaxing here”.

Photo taken by Sha'Toria T.

The day’s activities included walking through the woods, exploring the bison range, and strengthening our team building abilities and communication skills.  It was a gorgeous Texas day and was perfect to be outdoors.  The girls of Eastern Hills expressed their enjoyment through laughter, jokes, and smiles as we traveled through the Crosstimbers Trail at the Nature Center.  The girls walked 3.37 miles that morning.

Photo taken by Shacora O.

Our hike was accompanied by butterflies and many prickly pear but the girls stayed as far away as possible, as they did not want to get poked by the cacti. The girls who attended this trip were such an inspiration!  They met all of their commitments prior to attending this field trip and we are proud of them.  They joined us on an excursion on a day when they could have stayed in their warm, cozy beds.

Thank you for such a great experience, girls!  It was a great day!

~Ms. Rodriguez