Vernon pair 'Find the Fabulous'

VERNON — Two Vernon students recently spent a weekend at College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown at a camp sponsored by “Finding the Fabulous.” Victoria Gonzalez, a sophomore, and Jenna MacDonald, a junior, were selected to meet with about 40 other high school girls and successful women from around the world to explore possibilities for young women. The theme, “Finding the Fabulous,” challenged the participants to, in turn, challenge the status quo.”

According to its national website, “Finding the Fabulous Inc. is a nonprofit organization with the purpose of advancing the next generation of female leaders and role models by combating core challenges including fear, doubt, bullying, cliques and media pressure, and building up positive qualities including confidence, kindness, self-respect, inner beauty and goal-setting. Finding the Fabulous Inc. aims to create awareness about and confront negative statistics that detract from the value and potential of girls: The goal of confronting the bleak future outlined in the status quo is to equip girls with the power of choice and empower girls to be change-makers as they prepare for and experience their critical high school years.”

Gonzalez and MacDonald said the weekend was almost life-changing. “I always thought my ambitions were too big,” said Jenna MacDonald. “I realized on this weekend that I can really go for anything I want to.”

Gonzalez was so inspired by a group project she worked on that she is going to try to bring a new organization to the high school next year focusing on girls and finding their inner beauty. The weekend featured many successful women as speakers, including entrepreneurs, trailblazers, founders, authors and project managers.