Junior Achievement’s G.L.O.W. assembly was held in the auditorium March 24. G.L.O.W. — or Get it, Learn it, Own it, Want it —  aims to teach girls about career opportunities in STEM-related fields and how to “make bank.” The assembly featured Anne Conroy-Baiter of Junior Achievement and a supply manager at SpaceX. The presentation detailed Outlaw’s career and the work she put into obtaining her position.

Freshmen and sophomore girls attended the assembly during second period, and freshman Claire Chen said she valued Junior Achievement’s efforts.

“I like to appreciate how they took the time to lecture us on women empowerment,” Chen said. “I  think the girls that needed empowerment [may] have learned something important from it.”

Though G.L.O.W. was designed to enable girls to be ambitious in their career choices, Chen said she found herself disengaged.

“I would’ve rather gone to my second period,” Chen said. “I thought it was kind of a waste of time but it was still cute to get bracelets after. I tend to hate really long lectures whether they are important or not.”

At the same time as G.L.O.W., boys were experiencing Tied Together in the gymnasium, an event that taught boys how to tie neckties, firmly shake hands  and build character with the help of parent volunteers. Freshman Christopher Estevez said he enjoyed the experience.

“I liked missing my second period,” Estevez said. “It wasn’t beneficial to me, but it could be beneficial to someone else that doesn’t have someone to teach them. I think West Shore should keep having it because it’s fun and good opportunity to learn.”

Freshman Lily Reppenger said she found herself in the same boat as Chen, saying she wished G.L.O.W. was more captivating. 

“I thought that the G.L.O.W. assembly was very interesting, but I think they could have made it more fun for us because the guys are having a lot more fun than the girls were,” Reppenger said. “We just sat there, and we get these talks all the time about getting jobs and our future and stuff, so it gets really tiring to hear the same thing, over and over.”

Chen said she wishes she could have gone to the Tied Together event as well.

“I think that would’ve been really fun,” she said. “While [the boys] had fun and tied ties, we had to sit down for a lecture.”

By Alexandra Buras