On Saturday June 11^th at 9:00 in the morning, while many of us are just stirring awake or more likely rolling over for another hour of sleep, Marymount will be abuzz with 30 some student volunteers and 100 some junior high girls arriving from all over Los Angeles.

BSBW, short for A Better Self for a Better World, is Marymount’s student-run leadership conference for rising 6^th-8^th grade girls designed to empower these young women. This year, the conference will be on June 11 from 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Morning activities of the conference will focus on developing a “better self,” with student speeches and group discussions, and afternoon activities will focus on the “better world” portion, with Marymount volunteers guiding participants in service. I recently sat down with conference coordinator Caroline Cooper to get her perspective on this meaningful, fun-filled day:

How did you get involved in BSBW?

“Val [Valory Banashek, fellow conference coordinator] and I actually attended the very first BSBW as rising 8^th graders and it was a really fun day. I got to see Marymount and meet all the amazing Marymount girls volunteering, so when I got on campus as a Freshman, I knew I wanted to be involved. I was a small group leader my freshman year, then morning director my junior year, and now I’m conference coordinator!”

 What is you favorite part of BSBW and why?

“My favorite part is the end of the day. Many of the girls are nervous at the beginning of the day because they don’t know anyone in their group, but at the end of the day you get to see all of the new friendships made and the big smiles on every girl’s face. I just like seeing so much joy in the room. That’s why it’s my favorite part: everyone is so happy.”

What are some highlights conference participants can expect this year?

“Some of the speech topics in the morning include open mindedness, self-esteem, healthy relationships, and an advice video from current Marymount students. We also have all new service projects for the afternoon: placemats for a children’s hospital, sandwich builders, school supply kits for A Place Called Home, and blankets for animal shelters. It’s going to be a great day!”

This extraordinary opportunity to make a difference and meet new friends is just around the corner, and conference coordinators Caroline Cooper ’17 and Valory Banashek ’17, along with their fellow executive team members and volunteers, are hard at work planning to make sure this year’s conference is killer.

If you know anyone who is interested in going, tell them to register here before it’s too late!