In March, local organizations are making a point to honor and reflect on the achievements of women. For example, the WILLOW club, which stands for Women In Leadership Leading Our World, is embracing Women’s History Month by bringing in female guest teachers to join their usual Wednesday meetings.
As club advisor for the past 10 years, Peggy Bonbrisco values the importance of celebrating Women’s History Month.
“It honors women’s contributions, celebrating their accomplishments,” Bonbrisco said. “It encourages students to respect and support equality. It also inspires future generations to see how women have paved the way to their success.”
Co-CEO of WILLOW and senior Molly Spence makes it a goal to give women the recognition they deserve for all of their accomplishments, especially after recognizing that women’s achievements are sometimes underappreciated.
“I think it’s important because women had a crucial hand in a lot of moments in history and they don’t get as much recognition as men do, so it’s important to recognize both sides,” Spence said.
While WILLOW strives to participate in activities to celebrate women’s history, one of their greatest accomplishments and plans for this month is to continue to share their interests in a room full of inspiring young women. WILLOW is a place where anyone can come together and celebrate women, according to Spence.
“I think that being in a group of girls who have the same kind of views and want to help people as well, is helpful to build that sense of community because you’re with people that are like you,” Spence said.
At the beginning of the year, WILLOW brought in guest speaker, Assistant Principal Meloney Cargill, to share her story on her journey into administration. Cargill believes that empowerment in young women comes from life experiences and learning from mistakes, rather than doubting yourself.
“I think the most important thing is don’t be afraid,” Cargill said. “Just because you come up against an obstacle doesn’t mean that something isn’t for you. I think that every obstacle actually prepares you for the next level.”
Advising has caused Bonbrisco to see the true potential of the women at North who support each other through kindness.
“I think all women should support each other at Grosse Pointe North and there are many ways to do this,” Bonbrisco said. “I think the first and most important way is to be kind to one another.”
