Mentorship, Resilience, and the Power of School Counseling

0:01 SPEAKER_00: Hello, everyone, and welcome back to The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment, the podcast where we explore the people, practices, and perspectives shaping meaningful learning environments for students as well as educators. I am your host, Dr. Lashanta, also known as that Classy Sassy Consultant. I'm an educator, author, and founder of Lee Jane's Consulting, where our mission is to support educators, teachers, and communities in environments for students and educators. Today's conversation centers around the power of mentorship, resilience and the role of school counselors play in shaping the lives of students.

0:50 SPEAKER_00: Let me say that one more time for you. Today's conversation centers around the power of mentorship, resilience, and the role school counselors play in shaping the lives of students. Joining us today is someone very special who has dedicated her career to guiding, supporting, and empowering young people. Today, our guest is Miss Renee S. Brown. She is one of my dearest friends, my SARA ex-coworker friend. And so we are going to enjoy this conversation with her today. Hi, Renee. How are you doing?

1:29 SPEAKER_00: I'm good. I'm good. Thank you so much for having me here today. It is a pleasure. And I just want to tell my guests that I am so proud of Renee and all that she has been doing in her endeavors as a school counselor, as an entrepreneur, as a nonprofit, just everything that she's been doing since we met and we worked together for a year before she left to go to Greenville, where she began her counseling endeavor. So it is truly an honor. We have talked about um I've talked um with her before about having her on the show.

2:08 SPEAKER_00: So I'm so happy that she has had an opportunity to agree to come on today. So thank you, Renee. Thank you. Thank you.

2:15 unknown: Ms.

2:16 SPEAKER_00: Brown is a native of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a proud first-generation college graduate. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Morris College and later her Master of Education in School Counseling from Cambridge College. Throughout her career, she has served students across public schools, private institutions, and residential facilities, supporting at-risk youth. In 2015, she founded Blush Female Mentoring Program, an initiative dedicated to empowering young women through mentorship, leadership development, and community service.

2:55 SPEAKER_00: Her life and work are guided by a powerful mantra. If at first you don't succeed, try again.

3:17 SPEAKER_01: So I recently got nominated to be a remarkable woman, and that was through WSPA News Channel 7 here in Greenville. And every Tuesday of the month, they will feature a woman because it's Women's History Month. And I got to interview about my day-to-day operations of counselor, about my blush program. And I was a finalist. They did have a main winner, but all of the women there who was nominated, oh my gosh, just they do great work. Just the same as me. I guess I could brag a little bit because all of them are remarkable.

4:00 SPEAKER_01: And then I have been on the road just doing some a few speaking engagements with some different things. So yes, I've been busy, busy, busy, busy.

4:09 SPEAKER_00: You've definitely been busy, but that is awesome. Remarkable woman award. That is great. I could make a suggestion to them, call it Phenomenal Woman Award, but that's just me. All right. So we're going to jump into some questions, and so the audience can get an opportunity to know more about you. So my first question is you are a proud first-generation college graduate. So how did that experience shape your perspective on education and your desire to support students? Yes.

4:40 SPEAKER_01: So I think so, just coming up, I was the youngest out of five, and my parents did not finish high school. And even in my remarkable interview, I talk about how my dad wasn't even able to read. And finding that out in middle school, and I as I was able to help him do some simple reading teaching to him, that made me want to go and do more for my life and kind of break the cycle. And so I had an older sister who decided to do something similar and to go to college. And I kind of wanted to be like her.

5:24 SPEAKER_01: And so I did that and I went to college. And as I journeyed through college, I think being a first generation, you have to do a lot of stuff on your own, figure it out on your own, things like the FAFA, studying, because I was not the best study person when I was in high school. So I say that as a first-generation college student and moving on, when I decided to become a school counselor, I think I wanted to help the person that seemed like me who just needed that guidance along the way. I started out at a high school working, so I had more hands-on with college and career readiness to help students.

6:08 SPEAKER_01: However, I'm in a middle school now, and I know I don't necessarily help them apply to college, but I feel like I give them what I missed in school because I didn't have the resources in school, if that makes sense. So I think as a first generation college student, it doesn't have to be an awful start. I just want to help them feel more empowered to apply, to go to college or wherever they decide to go, whether it's a two-year or four-year college.

6:46 SPEAKER_00: And that is definitely an awesome, an awesome venture. And wanting to help others, because we know that when you're the first or one of the first in the in the family to do such an endeavor, yeah, it is like you're walking alone. And so just paving that way for families to know more about how to get into college, to um go into the military, whatever they decide to do, we definitely um see that as a a need into as far as talking more about our own personal experiences to help others out. So while you grew up in Myrtle Beach, so I did a live right before our interview and um talking to um our folks in Conway and Myrtle Beach, I said, come out and support your girls.

7:31 SPEAKER_00: You know, you got you know, Conway Girl, Myrtle Beach Girl, make sure you show up and listen to this episode once it uploads. So just talking about looking at your experiences and growing up in Myrtle Beach, uh, what experiences influenced your decision to pursue a career in counseling?

7:51 SPEAKER_01: So I think at first it started in the home. Like I said, just playing teacher, wanting to be a teacher, and helping my dad. I think that was one of my biggest influences. And also when we were in high school and we used to job shadow, I would always go to the elementary school. And it was a special lady, actually, she's from Conway, Miss Andine Campbell, who I used to shadow. And I think she just had uh influence on me because she was a teacher, she was so kind, and I don't want to start naming names and forget people or not mention them, but then we have like Miss Ann Freutrail, who was a teacher growing up, she went to my church, so it all kind of started in Sunday school as well, teaching Sunday school, doing things like that.

8:44 SPEAKER_01: So when I decided to go off to college, I just knew that I was going to major in education because I knew that's what I was called to do. And needless to say, and I had a turning point there because I started out in education as a major, excited, ready to change the world, one student at a time. And I did not continue in education because I felt that I was not going to pass the praxis, and we're gonna go somewhere, I'm sure, later with this because I got scared. So I changed my major to criminal justice.

9:26 SPEAKER_01: And when I changed my major to criminal justice, I was like, I still can work with children, I still can work with the at-risk and still be okay because that's who I wanted to help. And lo and behold, it was a great major. I learned a lot, and when I got out of college, I did not want to do anything in that field. And so I made a decision to go back to college and get my master's degree in education because I knew that's where I should have been. So that was my influence. Those people, and I knew that I had to do it, but I just wanted to do what I wanted to do at that time and change my major.

10:15 SPEAKER_00: And sometimes we we walk away from those things and we turn our backs to what we know we need to do. And and so glad that you were able to make that that pivot and um and to be able to go into education and and not necessarily classroom teacher, but you went into the role that best fits you. And and we know that even counselors and and down to our cafeteria ladies, they teach lessons every day, even though it's not inside the classroom. And so that's what this podcast is about, is just talking about how all educators have an impact on that environment.

10:52 SPEAKER_00: So so glad that you were able to make that pivot and go into um education and and make those um change the lives and make differences, be a difference maker in someone else's life. Yes. So your story highlights the importance of perseverance, pivoting, and bringing um your own personal mantra and keeping that instilled in your in your life on a daily basis. And so that leads me into talking about that mantra. If at first you don't succeed, try again. How has this mindset shaped your approach to working with students?

11:31 SPEAKER_01: Well, first you said the exact, the perfect word, your mindset. If you first don't succeed, try again. I think that with with students and having my own group of girls with the blush club, I think I see a lot of mistakes, especially as young girls, they don't think before they do. And so sometimes they may regret making a decision or they didn't study well for that test. And so, okay, you weren't successful the first time, so how can we do it better the next time? And so I do think all people have that mindset of I can't do it again because I've already failed.

12:23 SPEAKER_01: And that's when you have to come in and say, No, you have to find that power in you and try it again. We probably didn't get it right the first time, just like what I just said a few moments ago. I changed my major because I was on something different, and I didn't even give myself a chance to necessarily fail, but I had to try again when I know I shouldn't have changed my major to criminal justice. So I tried it again with a higher level degree, um, and I just kept going. Just like with anything, if you really want to do something and you believe it, you can do it.

13:07 SPEAKER_01: So if it doesn't work the first time, you got to try again if you want to get to where you're going. That's just like climbing a wall. If you you know it's hard at first and you're gonna fall down, or you're gonna miss a few steps. But are you gonna just stop and give up? No, if you don't make it the first time, try again. And so I do think that's important, that's an important mantra. And so when you think about your mindset on that, like, dog, do I really want to try again? Yes, you do, because that's where you find those positive affirmations to make you want them to keep trying again.

13:46 SPEAKER_01: You have to, and I I like the saying in my book, and I know we haven't gotten it yet, but command your day, and so sometimes I lead to that because sometimes you probably had a bad day yesterday, or you probably had a bad week. Okay, you you probably didn't make it in your eyes on that first day. But then when you begin speaking those self-affirmations and commanding your day and telling yourself what you can do and how you can do it, then you could do it over again. As long as you have breath in your body, as long as you woke up, you can try again and succeed.

14:24 SPEAKER_00: Ooh, that's encouragement right there. You just put on an encouraging word just in that little bit. And I heard you talk about you were talking about your book. Um I heard the of the power in you and talking about your other mantra and looking at command your day. And just so the audience knows, in one of the episodes just recently, the one that I did on mindfulness with uh Mr. Todcho, I used an example of mindset and talking about having a growth mindset and using that phrase command your day. Well, this is who is credited with that phrase because it this is what she has been talking about.

15:05 SPEAKER_00: And so go ahead and tell us a little bit about your book because um I know our listeners out there want to know more about it. Talk about your book and and who it's for.

15:17 SPEAKER_01: Yes, so I have a journal book, journal, book, whatever, whatever you want to call it. So it's called The Power in You, and it's empowering you through through journaling. So I decided to write this book, to write those thoughts down after a few things that I've went through. And I did I use the word powwows. I had I had a few powwows with myself, had a few different emotions that I went through. And some of those emotions I didn't think that I would make it through. And when I say I didn't think I was gonna make it, I'm talking about not being here.

16:03 SPEAKER_01: And so I think I had to get to a place where I had to learn to identify my feelings, and then while working in a school and working with children, it's so many children that go through different things. And adults are not that much different. So when I started to say, okay, how can I help people identify their feelings? Because once we identify why we are feeling how we're feeling, we can better address the situation. Just like if you have a headache, okay, it's reasons why you have a headache. But if you don't get it checked out, okay, why am I heading?

16:46 SPEAKER_01: Am I stressed? Am I not feeling good? Do I have the flu? Whatever it is. So if you don't identify the feelings that you are feeling inside, you can't address it and move forward. So, and then I'm the goal setting counselor at my school. I help the students set goals, and as they set goals, guess what? I set goals as well. And when you set goals, guess what? You say, okay, how can I reach this goal? What's the time stamp? Do I want to reach this goal? Is this goal a real goal? So I started setting goals with the students.

17:25 SPEAKER_01: So I'm like, dog, I'm teaching, I'm learning, identifying, goal setting. Now, I'm not even gonna say that I'm the type of person who journal every day. I'm not even gonna tell the untruth. But when I started, I was like, oh, this feels kind of good. Because once you journal, it's just between you and your pen. Nobody has to see it. So that is how I decided to come up with an with that journal. Because I talk about breathing. If you sometimes just stop and breathe, it just helps so much. And when you identify what is wrong, why are you feeling like this?

18:08 SPEAKER_01: Why do you feel like you need to go in the corner and cry? Like, you might not feel bit better at that second, but once you identify it and start addressing, you start to feel a little better. So I started doing most of those myself. So I said, why not share this with people? It's simple stuff that we do every day. So that's how I became on that journey to write the power in you. First, I was like, okay, maybe I'll just do this with my students. And then I was like, well, adults go through things too, so why not make it available for adults as well?

18:45 SPEAKER_01: So that is how the power of you became birthed inside of me by going through my own situations, doing therapy, doing listening to myself, that's how it became a book. Because I want to help everybody, I want everybody to be happy, and I know some days we're not happy, some days, let's just be real, this is hard. But once you find the power in you and how you can command your day by addressing things, you'll live life a little better.

20:04 SPEAKER_00: Definitely encouraging words. And so, those of you that are gonna catch this on YouTube because you're getting to see the visual, I want to share the book with you.

20:17 SPEAKER_01: Thank you. Because I just came in from work and my book is downstairs. I'm like, where's my book?

20:24 SPEAKER_00: Yes, I always got your back, so of course I had to buy the book uh when um I knew that uh Renee was going to have this out. I said, I gotta get this book, so I keep it in my office space, my studio office space, whatever you want to call this area. And so this is her book, and it is it is a definite keepsake, and it is something for you to um go out there and buy, not only for your students, but also for you as an adult. You may want to journal as well. So this is it, those of you that catch it on YouTube.

21:00 SPEAKER_01: And what I like about my book, I will say this is the best part that I like, and I can't wait to elaborate and do a better edition, a second edition of this. Okay, so I work better in chunks. I I have some accommodations, I do better in chunks, and so but what I like about my book is I break it down in four quarters. Okay, even if the students are using it, it's four quarters in a school year, and so I break it down by quarter. If you're not a student, guess what? It's 12 months in a year, and you could break that down in quarters, so you don't feel like you have to try to do everything at once, just you know, all right, January, for February, March, you know, April, whatever.

21:49 SPEAKER_01: This is my quarter one, and this is what I'm gonna focus on.

21:52 SPEAKER_00: So I know everybody I work better in chunks, so I like the way it's broken down, and and that's that is an awesome way to break down journaling for those that that you're not the only one. There are others that they they do better writing in chunks. I know when I'm looking at a journal and I just see lines, you know, I have several journals in here that I started writing, and I may be halfway through the journal, I might have written on day one, and that was it. So also in the business world, we work in quarters, so it's a that's another way to look at it.

22:26 SPEAKER_00: So we have come, we're coming. This is March. So we're coming to the end of our first quarter when it comes to the business world. When you're looking at your revenues and and looking, seeing how much has gone in, come out. So that so the world thinks in quarters, so your book. Being in course, that's an awesome um asset to it. So let's talk a little bit about students and and some of the your opinions about where our students are. What are some of the biggest emotional or academic challenges that middle school students and and we are we've both been in that middle school world and you're you're still there?

23:07 SPEAKER_00: But what are some of the biggest emotional or academic challenges middle school students are facing right now?

23:18 SPEAKER_00: There's so many to choose from, yeah.

23:20 SPEAKER_01: It is so many to choose from because two. What do you think, ma'am? If you had to choose one or two, well, my mind automatically goes to social media, of course. But and how do you bring that into the academic world? I think I think that the academic world, many students don't apply themselves as much as they should when it comes to studying or having high expectations. I think a lot of parents today they don't challenge their children to do the best they can. Ooh, that sounds that sounds horrible.

24:15 SPEAKER_01: But I see it because when I meet with some of the students, as I'm the on-track, we have a program in Greenville County called on track, and whenever students get off track, meaning they're failing or their attendance has dropped or behavior, we meet with those students. So I think when I meet with a lot of those students and I say, What happened? And they'll say, Well, I I have a D, so I'm passing. And so sometimes, and don't get me wrong, and a D is passing. However, when you look at the not handed in assignments and the not doing their work assignments, and you say, Why?

25:01 SPEAKER_01: There's no expectations, I think. There's no village necessarily. Because when I start meeting with those students who are not turning in their assignments, it's not that they don't know the information, it's just that they don't want to do it because they believe that the bare minimum is okay. So when I start meeting with those students on a regular basis, and I reward them, I do, for turning in their assignments or completing all of their work, they get excited and you can see them do better. So I think it's more of laziness.

25:42 SPEAKER_01: Can I say that? Yeah, you can and and I say it because we're they're not not smart, they are very capable, but I think that's what happened to the academic world. They just they don't care. And then if they do make an A or a B, I hear many students say, I'm not making A's and B's, you know, and it's not because they don't, because they're gonna feel like, oh, well, my classmate is gonna look at me like I'm a nerd. Yeah, it's something wrong with being a nerd. So that you know that, and I'm gonna just stick to that.

26:19 SPEAKER_01: Laziness is these video games, is this social media, is everybody wants to be a YouTuber, and nothing is wrong with YouTube and that I'm not saying that's nothing is wrong with YouTube and but they're not completing their work because they don't want to do it, because they don't see the value in doing it. So I I can't, I can't say, you know, I'm sorry, and that that's the first thing I I think of is laziness.

26:48 SPEAKER_00: They no expectations, and and that definitely is a uh is a challenge, especially with middle schoolers, because once they get to the high school level, we see what they what hasn't happened as far as being being challenged more in class. So it it's a trifold effect because it starts with the students wanting to be engaged, they need to want to be engaged and to put the social media down long enough to read a book, read the assignment, apply themselves in class, but it also goes back to the parents being there to support whether you work two or three jobs, your children still need to get from you and know that you are there supporting them.

27:34 SPEAKER_00: And then it goes back to, you know, as far as leadership, inspecting what we expect as far as what are the teachers actually doing in the class? Why are the kids pulling out their phones and doing social media? Is it something less than that's not engaging? So so you've you've hit it that that is definitely a challenge in middle school.

27:54 SPEAKER_01: Yes, it and I'm sorry if you were looking for the answer, like, oh, it's the curriculum from the State Department or it's the workload. For me and what I see in my position, students they understand it, they they just don't apply themselves.

28:13 SPEAKER_00: They do. Yeah, this is all about your opinion and your uh what you feel because you are the expert coming in on the show and talking about your point of view. So that you are on the money with what you are saying, and and I can agree, I feel like that is one of the challenges. And I will have you know other guests that will talk about challenges depending on you know what area they're coming from. So it is all about the perspective you have in the in the district you're in, the school you're in, you know, someone else may have a global perspective, someone else may have a regional perspective.

28:49 SPEAKER_00: So you are right on the money with what you and what you have said. So let's talk about the students who are struggling silently, and they just don't know how to ask for help, or they feel they're gonna be rejected if they ask for help. How can educators better support these students who struggle silently?

29:18 SPEAKER_01: So that can be a challenge. I just did a session at Scamly. Scamly is the middle-level conference that they have every year at Myrtle Beach, and my session was on the power power of relationships. And some students are just shy, some students are just quiet, but I truly believe that when you begin to build relationships with your students and your class, it may not again uh happen tomorrow or the next day. But when you build that relationship and you make somebody feel safe or you make them feel loved, and it can start as simple as that color looks really good on you.

30:17 SPEAKER_01: So when you start doing that and showing that you care, I think that is a start to helping that shyness or that quietness come out of their shell. And if for some reason, if you can't do that, that's when you also in in my session I I I highlighted POW, and the P is the position that you're in in your classroom, the O is for opportunities, so the Opportunities of reaching out to other people in your building who may be able to make that connection with that person. So I say that with relationships and when kids know that you care, they'll come out, they shell just a little bit.

31:10 SPEAKER_01: Because you that shyness might be trauma, that shyness may just be shy. I never had the pleasure of being shy. Um I didn't have that problem. I think in life now I'm as shy as I ever been, believe it or not. So, to answer your question, Dr. Sarvis, I think it's the relationships that you begin to build with children, the compliments, the safety net that you give them in your classroom. I think that's how you start to unpack that shyness or withdrawal from a student and you reach out and help them.

31:50 SPEAKER_00: And I you are on point. So, again, those of you that are watching this on YouTube, you you saw, you know, the young people are doing this clock, you were on point. You were on point with that. You are in my backyard. I talk about relationships, and it all begins there. So I am in agreement with uh your comment because the shy child, and and believe it or not, I was shy. And even though I was shy, I operated and maneuvered, you know, with you know, one or two people, whatnot, but it was those teachers.

32:26 SPEAKER_00: I had teachers that and counselors, and I had, you know, even the cafeteria ladies that knew my parents, they would bring it up, you know, oh hey, how you doing? You know, and so it does take building relationships with students in order to help them that way when they get to a place where they're struggling, you can you they'll know who they can go to. And if it's not you, it'll be someone else, teacher down the hall, or you know, someone else that's in that building. So love the comments there.

32:58 SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about your baby, not your actual baby, but blush female the blush female mentoring program. Talk a little bit about blush, and we know that you founded this in 2015. 2015. And so, what inspired you to start this initiative?

33:19 SPEAKER_01: So again, I think I do a lot of things because I try to give the child the stuff that maybe I didn't get a chance to experience as a child. So when I started out at the high school, I had a mentoring program at my high school, and it was okay. It was good. And then I made a decision to go to the middle school. So when I got to the middle school, to be honest, it was on my list of duties. It was like mentoring program. That's all it said. It was mentoring program. So I'm like, what does this mean?

34:01 SPEAKER_01: Like, do I go out and find mentors? Do I create a mentor? But I didn't ask any questions because I was like, I'm new to middle school, I'm good. I'm gonna just bypass that because I need to learn middle school. So I used to have about five girls come to my office every morning, same girls, every morning, relationships, just bonding, talking, not just about school, but about attitudes, about life, about home. And so they was like, we should start a girls' club. And I was like, I'm not doing that.

34:39 SPEAKER_01: Like, and it's not that I didn't want to, well, then again, maybe it was. I was new to middle school and I was trying to learn the ropes, and I just I'm not gonna say I was scared, but it just made sense. So I pushed it off, pushed it off, and I went to a conference. I think this was the SCAPSE conference, the South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educators, and they had a speaker that year, a superintendent, and I don't want to call the wrong name, but I want to say it was uh Stevens, Stevens.

35:13 SPEAKER_01: Anyway, so when the man was up there giving his keynote, I promise you, I I don't know. I just felt like God had come down and he was talking to me, and it was scary at first because he was saying, find your purpose, what's your purpose? What were you called to do? And don't get me wrong, and I know that I have been called to do counseling for students, but I already had that mentoring mentoring thing on my brain, and I was like, hmm. And I knew I wanted to help girls, and I knew I already had a head start because I already talked about it.

35:51 SPEAKER_01: So when I came back from the conference, it was January 2015. I decided at that time I went to my principal and I said, Hey, I want to start a girls' group mentoring thing, and she said, Go for it. Nice lady, Miss Rosie Gardner. She, oh my gosh, if you from Greenville, you know Miss Gardner. And so she said, Go for it. So I started with about 12, 12 to 15 girls. Tried to start small, and we had our first meeting in February because I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed. I found someone to help me because I realized, like, okay, I can't do this by myself.

36:34 SPEAKER_01: So I met with these girls. Our first lesson was on financial literacy. We taught them how to write a check. I was like, okay, so you know that was a long time ago because people don't even hardly write checks anymore. So we had, in fact, to be honest, I think it was a lunch and learn. So we started with a lunch and learn, and I came in with names. I had about 10 names. I was like, it's gonna be called Sister to Sister, Queen Bees. I just had some names, and when I named them, they all looked at me and said, mm-mm.

37:10 SPEAKER_01: And so at that point, I knew I had the right girls because we had already had that mind. So anyway, so we came up with the name blush, this young lady named Jasmine. And I remember saying, I don't like that. And then they was like, No, it's good, Miss Brown, because look, we're girls and we like makeup, and blushes are makeup. I said, Okay, if we're gonna do blush, we got to come up with like names, like an acronym. So somebody said beautiful because we all beautiful. I was like, okay, and then somebody said love, love, so that's how we came up with loving, and then I said unique because we're all different, and then we had to work that sisterhood out now.

37:58 SPEAKER_01: Then we said sisterhood because we are like, okay, people like okay, that's so anyway. So that's how we came up with the name. So we started with about 15, our first year that was in February. At the end of the year, we ended with 10 girls, 10 solid, committed girls, and we have helped over 180 to 200 girls today have graduated from the program. But the whole purpose of the program is to let them explore things they've never explored. Some students have never visited a college, whether it's a two-year college or four-year college.

38:37 SPEAKER_01: So we try to visit a college every year. Etiquette. If we need to go out on a business dinner, how do we eat? How do we pass the roles? We do financial literacy because we're all gonna be ballers one day. You know what I'm saying? Because that's what they want to be. They're gonna be they're gonna be rich. Okay, so how and I I have people come in and teach this stuff, interviewing skills, because I feel like we don't got away from that. But we teach speech and debate, how do you talk to people? How do you look to them?

39:10 SPEAKER_01: So skills every day, hard and soft skills on how to be a better young lady, and so I love it. So after we do all of that curriculum, the ready for success curriculum, they're inducted and they get a pearl. Every girl needs a pearl. So I talk about them how a pearl is made. Where was it before? All the way deep down in the ocean where they had to dig and they had to get it up and clean it up, and that's why I welcome anybody because some come in brokenhearted, some come in with different backgrounds, some of them coming in feeling not pretty or not loved, and so that's what blush tried to do.

39:57 SPEAKER_01: We get those girls, we clean them up, and then we give them that pearl and let them shine as the young women they are. And then I try my best to follow them into high school. I just started that maybe three years ago, and every senior who has graduated from the program in middle school, we give them a toiletry basket at the end of the year, whether they're going to college, military, or straight into work. We just give them a little basket to say, hey, we remember you from middle school. And if you need anything, let us know.

40:33 SPEAKER_01: So, but we are growing. We are at three schools right now. We, and it may seem small, but I try to put things on Facebook. We have a website. Hopefully, we'll be able to give a scholarship soon, but I try to keep in touch with the girls and encourage them as much as I can. We have girls who go to college, we have some girls who are going straight into work, and that's okay. So that's how it all started. Um I get so excited because You're fine. I'm not saying that I didn't have that connection with people as a teenager because I've had some connections with, and I don't want to start naming the names, but I just think of Miss Gowins from Myrtle Beach, Miss Schofield from Conway as we're talking.

41:21 SPEAKER_01: The way they took us in for JTPA, and they taught us those resume skills and different skills, and they took us on college visits. And I just love the way those two, and I said, because they made you feel loved. Rather, they knew that whatever about your background, and Miss Schofield gave the best hugs. God, she gives the best hugs, and I've never been a hugger, but I'm a hugger now. So I just want to make those students feel loved. Now, they sometimes laugh a lot and get on my nerves. So that's the question, isn't it?

42:01 SPEAKER_00: I'ma stick beside them. There you go. They they need you, those girls need you, and you've been doing a wonderful job with them. So it's been uh almost 11 years now. Yeah, 11 years, yeah. It's been 11 years. That that is um that is a story by itself. We could have spent the entire time just talking about blush because I know that's been your your your baby for so long, and just seeing the number of girls that have that you have impacted, it is um it's great. You have you're making that impact. You're making that impact in in Greenville and just all the speaking engagements you go on, you are telling stories that are encouraging other young girls and women in order to just go further and to be better.

42:52 SPEAKER_00: And so I I love it. Like I said, I'm so proud of the work that you have been doing. And you mentioned uh Miss Schofield, that may be another person that uh our listeners get to hear from because I'm gonna hit her up after this because I forgot we had that connection and we both know her. So, Miss Schofield, if you're listening, I will be hitting you up later on because you may be the next one on the episode. So, but I love Blush. I love the work that Blush is doing, and and so as we promote, um promote the segment, there will be information shared about if you want to get in touch and help to support.

43:32 SPEAKER_00: It's a nonprofit. So if you want to support and give donations so that the money does go to the girls as far as the different events that they go to, and as well as the toiletry basket that they get their senior year, and there's so many things that you that that can be done with um the proceeds. So if you're wanting to donate, that information will also be available in the promotion of this episode. So just wanted to let you know that. So staying in that same vein and looking at blush, and you've kind of touched on you know the importance of mentorship and why it's so important for um girls and and for young women.

44:16 SPEAKER_00: Um, and you've talked about how you've seen the impact just on in within the girls that you have personally been a part of their lives from middle school on up into high school. Um, where do you see blush going? Where do you see blush in the next 10 years? What do you want to be, what do you want to do beyond what you're doing now? What do you see for blush in the next 10 years?

44:45 SPEAKER_01: You know, sometimes when we make goals, we laugh and say, that's not gonna be possible, or I can't do that. And I think that's why it is so important to command your day. And so, and I start with that because do I have a 10-year plan? I'm just gonna be honest. I don't have a 10-year plan. I got about a three-year plan. Okay, but I told someone today, we had a SIC meeting at our school, and they were just saying, Oh, they were talking about the Remarkable Woman Award and the things that I do. I said, Yeah, I say, hopefully someone will be able to see it and at least start out with a grant donation for two million dollars, and when I retire, I could go ahead and take blush on the road, creating different blushes and different cities, different states.

45:54 SPEAKER_01: So, you know what? That's what I'm gonna that's what I'm going to say. I have, and you know what, that's what I'm going to say, because I would love after retirement, I got about eight years to get on the road. I mean, when I say get on the road, it could be virtually or it could be on a plane or a driver, and start creating different blush chapters where we can have a bigger impact on supporting more girls, learning skills and different things like that. So 10 years from now, within the next 10 years, hey, I'm open.

46:39 SPEAKER_01: If I get the right funds, we're gonna have a better website, we're gonna have a blush van, we're gonna have a blush house. Okay. We're gonna have some after-school tutoring going on at the blush house. We can have some different events at the blush house, but I would love to take blush on the road in different cities, different states, and do whatever we can do to empower all young ladies.

47:10 SPEAKER_00: There we go. Speak that thing into existence. Because I that was going to be one of my next questions is you know, exactly what do you see happening as far as expansion? So you you already answered that, and you see blush growing into more chapters and and and that blush van, that's gonna be neat. Is it gonna be like Scooby Van?

47:35 SPEAKER_01: Oh no, we're gonna be like the Amazon van.

47:38 SPEAKER_00: Okay, there we go. Amazon. That sounds good. So that's so I'm hoping that anyone that's listening right now, again, very, very worthy nonprofit. Yes, very worthy nonprofit, and so again, donations to blush. If you donate, you will definitely not be disappointed because the money truly goes to these young ladies and um helping to improve their lives and to help them to be better and preparing them for life. So definitely a worthy, very worthy cause. So we are coming to the close of the interview, but I wanted to see if you had anything else you wanted to share that we haven't covered before I asked the last question.

48:29 SPEAKER_00: Is there anything that we haven't touched on that you want to share that uh would be uh beneficial, uplifting, inspirational, encouraging? We've already gotten so much encouragement since we've been on, but I open the door for you to share anything that you would like to at this time before the last question. Just thank you.

48:50 SPEAKER_01: And if any parents are watching, I'm sure you probably have a lot of educators watching, but just communicate with your parents and tell them, hey, have an open dialogue with your children. Don't be afraid to tell them, you know, check their assignments, check their book bag. I think when students get to middle school, parents kind of back off because they feel like, oh, they're responsible. They don't need me, but they do need you.

49:21 unknown: Yes.

49:22 SPEAKER_01: As much as they need you in third and fourth grade, they need you in sixth and seventh and eighth grade. So don't pull back from your child just because they feel like, hey, they still need you and they still like structure.

49:38 SPEAKER_00: Exactly. Well said. I I well said, nothing else can be said on that. All right. So for the final question, if you could speak to every young girl in America, or let's just say the world right now, for just one minute, if you had to speak to every young girl in the world, what would you want her to know about her potential and her future?

50:09 SPEAKER_01: The power is in you. The power is in you to travel the world, to explore the world, and to do whatever you want to do. God created you for a purpose and with a purpose, but it's up to you to find that person. Find a trusted adult and lock on and keep walking with them so they can give you some guidance. You have the power, but you just have to find it in you and don't be scared to find it. Because when you do find it, you're gonna change the world.

50:56 SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for that, Ms. Brown, Renee, my friend, ex-coworker, Sarah. Thank you for sharing your story and for your incredible work. And continue to do what you are doing, mentoring and empowering students. Your commitment to perseverance, leadership, and service is truly inspiring. To our listeners, today's conversation reminds us that mentorship, encouragement, and guidance can transform the trajectory of a young person's life. Thank you for joining The Road to an Effective Classroom Environment.

51:35 SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation with us online. Go to, if you have iPhone, MacBook, go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review of this episode as well as others. You can drop me an email at Lashonta L-A-S-H-A-W-N-T-E, the number six at gmail.com. If you would like to share what you thought about this episode or any other episodes, love to hear from my listeners. I'm getting more and more emails from individuals that are listening and they are um impressed about some of the people that we have had on.

52:18 SPEAKER_00: So thank you to all of my guests. Thank you, Renee, for agreeing to be on the podcast. Thank you so much for being uh one of my interviews for Women's History Month. You have uh kicked off Women's History Month. You are the first person that I've interviewed for March, and so we started off March um strong and we're gonna continue going forward strong. So until next time, keep leading, keep inspiring, and keep creating environments where our students learn. Have a great one, everyone. Thank you.

52:52 SPEAKER_00: Thank you.