February 10, 2010 (Long Beach, CA) ­–The Junior League of Long Beach is producing “Especially Me Super Saturday”, a self-esteem workshop for fifth-grade girls to be held on February 20 at Stevenson Elementary School in Long Beach, California.

Especially Me is a program designed to foster positive self-image in adolescent girls by focusing on topics such as self-esteem, puberty, nutrition, and responsible decision-making. The workshops, led by trained members of the Junior League of Long Beach, offer small group discussion and activities that promote sharing and acceptance while teaching girls about these important concepts.

Since 2009, The Junior League of Long Beach has offered three courses of Especially Me in an after-school series with a total of 30 girls participating. The new “Super Saturday” format allows for a greater number of girls to attend. Nearly 60 students are expected at the February 20 event.

"I think this class is great!” said a past student. “ I always thought I was fat and never "perfect." It was never easy especially when my mom and dad said I had bad skin and I was ugly. That always brought me down. [Because of the Especially Me program] I can start rebuilding my self-esteem again."

“As an instructor for Especially Me, I have experienced the impact and inspiration that results from this wonderful curriculum,” offered  Christie Bettendorf , a Junior League of Long Beach volunteer and Co-Chair of the Especially Me committee. “I have had discussions with fifth-grade girls who were unaware that Photoshop exists, and they discover that their idea of beauty was manufactured and false. They enter the class with a perception created by society and imposed upon them, but leave with a new definition of themselves that is positive, strong, and confident.”

About the Junior League of Long Beach
The Junior League of Long Beach ( JLLB) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

The Junior League of Long Beach has been a driving force behind initiatives and institutions that make our community a healthier, more vital place to live. Since 1931, the JLLB has worked with the community to identify needs, raise funds, and design sustainable projects. Nearly 500 members strong, the Junior League of Long Beach reaches out to all women, regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin, who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.