Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 17, 1993 TAG: 9305180070
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WENDI GIBSON RICHERT NEWSFUN WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"Imagine a day when you really like yourself. . . . Imagine on this day that you' not too fat, your nose isn't too big, you're not really that tall, you're not too smart and you're not too shy.
"Imagine a day when you're just right."
Can you imagine a day when you feel "just right?" That's what the Ms. Foundation for Women asked girls ages 9-15 to ponder when it encouraged them to skip school on April 28, and join their moms, dads, friends or other relatives in the workplace for a day.
It was heralded as Take Your Daughters To Work Day. It turned out to be a day of career exploration for many girls in the region, and a fun day at that.
The idea for the day was to put the spotlight on girls, help build their self-esteem and introduce them to opportunities they otherwise might not consider.
Studies have shown that girls have lower self-esteem than boys. Advertising and society's ideas of how girls should look and behave are blamed for focusing their attention on appearance and a quiet attitude rather than their abilities.
At Hollins College in Roanoke, Melanie Cregger teamed up with her dad, Jim, for the day. Jim Cregger works in maintenance at Hollins, and part of Melanie's day was spent helping him.
"I got to help him repair two fences," she said. "I planed out the boards," which is shop talk for cutting them.
Melanie says the day didn't make her think much about what she wants to do when she grows up, because she's already decided. The 9-year-old who attends Raleigh Court Elementary School wants to be an artist. "I like to draw."
Not far away, classmates Danielle Nicely, Theresa Nowlin and Erin Leary, third-graders at the Roanoke Academy of Math and Science, got a head start on their first work day. They had a slumber party at Danielle's house - on a school night - before waking up to go to work with Danielle's mom, Karyl Nicely.
All agreed the night was fun, but the best part came when the alarm clock sounded for work, and the trio prepared to join Karyl Nicely at her office in Dominion Bankshares/First Union Mortgage Corp. in Roanoke.
"We got up, did the normal thing, and went to work," Erin says. The "normal thing" included brushing your hair, your teeth, putting your clothes on - and not just your school clothes, either. Girls going to work at the mortgage corporation had to dress like they were going to work, not the playground.
For Danielle, that meant wearing her church clothes, which she didn't like too much. "I was kind of embarrassed, because I don't like showing off my real pretty dresses, except when I'm going to church or something."
Their dressy clothes, however, were quickly forgotten when they arrived at work, met their friend and classmate Sarah Dillard, and began the workday.
After filling up on doughnuts, orange juice and milk - a breakfast that could beat the school cafeteria's any day, Erin said - they and the other girls assembled for the Take Your Daughters To Work Day toured the offices.
Then, Danielle joined her mom at her desk while her friends met their "adopted moms" and began working at learning the business.
Erin helped answer telephones and copy papers. Theresa typed on a computer and sent a fax (a paper that is transmitted to another fax machine via telephone lines) to Washington, D.C. Danielle also typed on the computer and faxed papers. She also got to visit the file room, where she took a ride around the room on a cart.
All three had fun copying their hands on the copy machine, and enjoyed the lunch at work, where they could even drink soft drinks.
But by far, the most important part of the day was what these girls learned, they said.
"It was kind of fun because I got to find out what they did and how they work," Erin says. "And I got to figure out why my mom comes home so tired." Erin's mom works for a lawyer's office in Roanoke. Still, Erin knew all along what she wants to be when she grows up. "I think I'll stick to animals. I want to be a veterinarian."
Theresa, who says she wants to be a physician, said the day made her think about all the career options open to her, too. And Danielle says she wants to follow in her mom's footsteps and work at the mortgage corporation. "Or, I want to be a hairdresser, because I can fix hair really good."
How did Danielle describe her day overall? "It was really good. The only words I said [that day] were `wow, cool.' It was neat."
by CNB