Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan Hosts Two Day Empowering Girls Conference: Women with Vision

LEXINGTON – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan hosted more than 450 students from 30 middle and high schools across Middlesex County at this year’s Empowering Girls 2017 Conference:Women with Vision held at the Cary Memorial Building in Lexington. This year’s theme focused on leadership, self-discovery and goal-setting in the face of obstacles.

“As a part of this year’s conference we focused on working with the students to express their vision for their future,” said District Attorney Ryan. “Individual visions are what makes the world different, and although not every dream these students have will turn into reality, this conference helps them to learn that it is how they deal with the obstacles in their way that will make a difference in their future.”  

The Sixth Annual Empowering Girls Conference built upon past conference themes designed to encourage confidence-building, self-assertion and goal-setting through compelling speakers and interactive presentations.  

Speakers during both sessions inspired students by encouraging them to be persistent when pursuing their goals and to never let stereotypes define who they are. Each day the students created vision boards to represent the path they see for their future and engaged in interactive group discussion about what obstacles may face on their journey and how to address them.

Day one speakers were: Donna K. Hazard, Interim President and CEO, New England Aquarium, Co-Founder, Women Working for Oceans, Carmen M. Ortiz, Esq., Counsel, Anderson Kreiger, LLP, Boston, Former United States Attorney, District of Massachusetts and Karen Anderson, Anchor and Reporter, 5 Investigates, WCVB Boston  

Day two speakers were: Natashia Tidwell, Esq., Counsel, Hogan Lovells, LLP, Boston, Queenette Santos, Director of Programming, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester and Karen Anderson, Anchor and Reporter, 5 Investigates, WCVB Boston  

Photos from the event can be downloaded via Flickr from Day 1 and Day 2.

Students from across Middlesex County attended, including from Ferryway School in Malden, Hawthorne Brook Middle School in Townsend, Jackson School in Newton, John Glenn Middle School in Bedford, John F. Kennedy Middle School in Waltham, George Keverian Middle School in Everett, Lexington Middle School, John W. McDevitt Middle School in Waltham, Ottoson Middle School in Arlington, Joseph G. Pyne Arts Magnet School in Lowell, Justus C. Richardson Middle School in Dracut, Robinson Middle School in Lowell, Saint Mary’s Parish School in Melrose, Saint Raphael’s Parish School in Medford, Stoneham Middle School, Stony Brook School of Westford, The Webster School of Everett, Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School  in Marlborough, Dracut High School, Everett High School, Groton-Dunstable Regional High School, Greater Lowell Technical High School in Tyngsborough, Holliston High School, Joseph P. Keefe Technical High School in Framingham, Lexington High School, Lowell High School, Marlborough High School, Melrose High School, Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School, Wakefield, Waltham High School, Wilmington High School.