Educational Talent Search’s “Bloom, Girl and Dream Big” garden party promises an afternoon of elegance, leadership and confidence as a lady on May 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Nesmith Student Center. ETS Director Dr. Leslie Brown hopes to bring together young girls between 6th and 12th grades to talk about strategies for success. 

“We want to activate and educate them, and we’re looking forward to a fabulous time with our young girls, their mentor, their mom, parent or guardian,” Brown said. “We’re looking for 40 girls plus their one guest with 80 to 100 guests in total.” 

SCC First Lady Teresa English and Director of Apprenticeships Denise Young are set to inspire attendees with words of wisdom that will plant seeds of nourishment, Brown explained. She said that attendees will walk away feeling refreshed, refined and beautiful while wearing pastel colors, enjoying charcuterie board hors d’oeuvres and posing in a photobooth.  

“We’re looking to build that comradery with the women of the community,” Brown said. “We want to build their confidence with words and affirmations that will leave them feeling empowered. That is the whole gist of Bloom, Girl Dream Big.” 

ETS will partner with the women of AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP to mentor young girls who may not have an adult role model in their life, Brown said. Redding F. Soderberg, a Wilmington native, is the guest violinist.  

“ETS is all about changing mindset and making sure they have the tools needed to become a better person, mom, wife, graduate or high school student,” Brown said. “We’re looking at it from a wholistic standpoint of cultivating young women leaders.” 

Brown is looking forward to seeing attendees feel like they belong and are equipped to take on the world with tools to build their lives. She wants the ETS students to have a stronger bond with the parent, mentor or guardian who attended with them. As a result, they can go out and build a stronger community.  

Brown reiterated that ETS aims to educate, activate and transform the culture of the students it serves.  

“At the garden party, young girls will bloom, thrive and coexist with the essential skills necessary to not only become the best young girl, but the young woman they are meant to become in the future,” Brown said. 

In addition to the garden party in May, ETS will host a similar event for young boys called “Mentorship University.” This event will feature outdoor team building activities and brunch on July 12 with SCC President Dr. Chris English serving as the keynote speaker.