Ruling Our eXperiences, Inc. (ROX)

It’s National School Counselors Week, and we’re incredibly grateful for every counselor who has dedicated their time and heart to supporting and guiding their students. Your impact as caring mentors makes all the difference. In fact, the Girls’ Index™ shows that supportive adults are essential to girls’ school connection. Girls who have adults at school who care about them are 65% more likely to want to come to school and 76% more likely to feel like they belong at school. Supportive relationships are correlated to key positive outcomes for girls. When girls have supportive relationships with both adults and friends, they enjoy school at higher rates, have lower reports of sadness and higher reports of confidence. Thank you, school counselors! And especially to our ROX Facilitators 🩷  #NationalSchoolCounselorsWeek #NSCW25 #ThankYouCounselors #MakingADifference #BeingAGirlROX #TheGirlsIndex2023 #GirlChampion #SchoolCounselors #Education

We're excited for I Matter, our free conference on healthy relationships and wellness for girls (grades 6-12) and the women who support them! @e'd love to see you there on 2/16! Girls will learn the skills they need to engage in healthy relationships, and their mothers (or mom-figures) will learn the tools and strategies to best support them. Guests will enjoy free parking, event swag, pizza and refreshments! Register here: https://lnkd.in/dPquTzpv We are thrilled to announce our all-star line-up of speakers: - Noor Alexandria Abukaram, Let Noor Run - Angela An, 7x Emmy Award Winning News Journalist and Early Evening News Anchor - Paula Cerame, Professional Volleyball Player, Columbus Fury - Julie Harmon, Ph.D., Director of IMPACT Safety - Elsie Larson, 2nd Place Finisher in the CrossFit Games (16/17 age group) - Kanisha Malone, LSW, Educator, Yoga Instructor and ROX Facilitator - Emma Maltais, Olympic Gold Medalist and Professional Ice Hockey Player, Toronto Sceptres - Leslie Nixon, AVP, Community Relations, VS&Co. - Yahaira Perez-Caraballo, Founder and CEO of Proyecto Mariposas - House Minority Leader Allison Russo, Ohio House of Representatives, District 7 - Erica Russell-Averette, Human Resources Professional; Fitness and Wellness Coach - Gabrielle Solange, Multi-disciplinary Artist, Speaker, Performer and Podcast Host - Dawn Tyler Lee, Founder & CEO, Forrest Street Consulting - Dr. Kenyona Walker, Assistant Chief Diversity Officer, City of Columbus - Lauren Hancock, Sr. Director of Operations, ROX - Lauren Morosky, LSC, Manager, Content & Curriculum, ROX - Nancy Willis, MA, LSC, Director of Strategic Growth and Recruitment, ROX - Rachel Zufall, Director of Facilitator Training, ROX

Yesterday, we were thrilled to celebrate Bread Financial at the Medical Mutual Pillar Awards, recognizing them for their outstanding community service. Bread Financial’s commitment to investing in causes that support women and girls makes them a leader in this space, and a standout corporate partner in the Columbus community and beyond. While nearly 50,000 U.S. organizations are dedicated to serving women and girls, less than 2% of all philanthropic support goes to these organizations. ROX is incredibly grateful for Bread’s transformative and comprehensive investments in our work. Their impact will be felt by girls across the country for years to come. Thank you to ROX Board Member Valerie Greer, Ralph Andretta, Vanessa Yahner, and the entire team at Bread Financial! Since 1998, The Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service, presented by Smart Business, honors businesses of all types and sizes that make outstanding contributions to their communities. Its purpose is to encourage a charitable environment, recognize creative efforts that make a difference and demonstrate the ties between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.

88% of girls report they are under pressure to be pretty, according to The Girls’ Index™. And all month long, we’ve been talking about how to support your girl in building a healthier body image. Today, let’s talk about helping girls deal with the negative thoughts that are likely to come up for her. First: talk to your girl about building the skill of noticing her thoughts. When she’s able to notice and identify a negative thought as it comes up in the moment, she gives herself the ability to change it, and stop herself from falling down a negative thought spiral. Teach your girl the idea of saying “STOP!” when she notices a negative thought pop up, especially a negative thought about her body image or her appearance. Then, teach her how to reframe that thought. For example, a negative thought might be, “I wish I were skinnier, I don’t like my body.” Teach her to notice that negative thought, say STOP, and then reframe it with something like, “My body is strong, and I am more than my body.” 

It's that time again! What can we say, we *love* shining spotlights on our incredible ROX Facilitators. This month, it's Sam Dusek and Geri Miller from Wisconsin! From ROX HQ: Sam and Geri have led the way for ROX in Wisconsin! They presented "How the ROX Program for Girls Decreased our Girl Drama & Increased Sense of Belonging” at the Wisconsin School Counselors Association Conference to over 80 attendees! We are so grateful for Sam and Geri’s advocacy that has opened the door to more ROX programs throughout the state. From Sam: Becoming a ROX facilitator has been one of my favorite things that I have done as a School Counselor. The training and support I get from ROX staff is amazing. We were the first facilitators in Wisconsin to offer ROX! Running the ROX group at my school has allowed girls to have a safe and confidential space to discuss issues that girls are faced with daily while learning lifelong valuable skills. From Geri: Providing space for girls to be safe, seen, and heard has been the best part of being a ROX facilitator. I love developing deeper connections with the girls in my school and watching them support each other with what they've learned in both big and small ways when they're outside of our sessions. I love ROX! Thank you will never be enough, Sam and Geri! Thank you for paving the way for girls in Wisconsin!  #BeingAGirlROX #Confidence #GirlsConfidence #GirlsAdvocate #GirlChampion #SchoolBasedProgram #SchoolCounselors #SchoolTeachers #Education

School Counselors: this is for you! The Girls' Index™ taught us a lot about how girls' social media use impacts their wellbeing. For instance: lower levels of social media use correlates with increased reports of confidence among girls. Alternatively, increased time spent on social media is correlated with reports of lower levels of confidence. And at a time when 95% of 5th and 6th grade girls report using social media, and 99.9% of girls are on social media by high school, the digital age demands we support girls in new ways to help counteract the stress and anxiety that comes with it. Want to know what you can do for the girls at your school? Check out our free webinar, "Stress, Anxiety & Girls in the Digital Age," via ASCA On Air Webinars On Demand. In just 35 minutes, ROX Founder & CEO Dr. Lisa Hinkelman will explore the complex interplay between social media use, mounting stress and the well-being of girls. You will gain insights into the unique challenges faced by today's digital natives, including the normalization of stress, the impact on self-esteem, and the paradoxical struggles of high-achieving girls. Most importantly: you'll learn practical strategies to empower girls in navigating the digital landscape, fostering resilience, and promoting authentic self-expression. Watch the webinar at: https://lnkd.in/e87QdUxy #SchoolCounselors #GirlsEmpowerment #ConfidenceBuilders

66% of girls report how they feel about their body makes them feel less confident (The Girls' Index™). So what can we do to help our girls build healthier body images? We live in a world that prioritizes external appearance. And chances are, your girls are getting these messages every day on social media, on tv shows, in conversations with friends... Let’s help girls shift her focus to valuing who she is as a person, internally, rather than placing all her value on what she looks like. You can do this by encouraging her to create a positive statement, mantra or affirmation about herself that has nothing to do with her appearance. Perhaps something like, “I am strong,” “I am smart,” or “I am courageous.” Have her write this statement down, and encourage her to even tape it to a mirror in her bedroom or bathroom. Encourage her to practice it often. And when you notice her doing something great? Name it for her. Help her see and value her internal strengths. The more we emphasize these internal traits rather than her external appearance, the more she’ll learn what truly matters about herself. 

🌟 Thank you, Hunter Marketing!! 🌟 We're so grateful for your support and commitment to creating generations of confident girls. You indeed are extraordinary! #ROX #BeingAGirlROX #CommunityPartner #EmpoweringGirls #ThankYou #GenerationsOfConfidence #Grateful #TogetherWeRise

The new Girls Without Limits experience is one you won’t want to miss! It’s an evening designed for all girl champions: men, women and community leaders coming together to fund the expansion of the ROX Program for Girls and our proprietary research, The Girls’ Index™. At a time when 79% of girls reported in the 2023 Girls’ Index™ that they are under so much pressure, they’re going to explode, this work has never been more important. The good news? Outcomes data from more than 40,000 girls who have participated in the ROX Program show that 82% of ROX girls learned healthy ways to manage stress and pressure. Girls need ROX now more than ever. Join us for an evening of curated bites, an open bar, lounge vibes, a rare/unicorn bourbon raffle and the opportunity to win exciting experiences… all while raising money to create generations of confident girls. Event Details: What: Girls Without Limits 2025 Fundraiser When: Friday, February 28, 2025 Where: The Kee, 225 Neilston St, Columbus, OH 43215 (ample & complimentary parking available on site) Why: Girls need us now more than ever, and you can make a difference. Attire: ROX Festive (black + pink!) Tickets: Early Bird tickets are on sale now: $150 for one, or $290 for a pair of tickets (prices go up February 3!) Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/eccxnEvP

The Girls’ Index™ reveals that girls who like their body “the way it is” are nearly 10x more likely to be confident… yes, you read that correctly: girls who like their body “the way it is” are nearly ten times more likely to be confident. This January, as new year's resolutions are in full swing, we think this statistic is even more important to keep in mind. As Dr. Hinkelman writes in her book, “Girls Without Limits,” “girls are using the feedback they receive from others to construct their identity and sense of self. They are also consuming vast amounts of media, particularly, social media, which contributes to their developing self-perception and, more often than not, judging themselves harshly when they compare themselves with what they see in the media.” The good news? As the adult in a girl’s life, you can make a difference. You can be the role model your girl needs. So this January, consider your own example around the girls in your life. Tune in all month long as we share strategies for how to help girls build a healthier body image and in turn: build confidence. #BodyImage #GirlsEmpowerment #EmpowerGirls #ConfidenceBoost