Hamilton's St Columba’s Catholic School is teaching its girls how to be confident young women though a year-long program called Girls Have Destiny
The class is modelled on the success of teacher Chris May's class for boys, teaching them how to be a man not the man.
"The girls said, 'what is there for us? And we looked at the sort of things that were really important for girls, and they were quite different from what was important for boys," says Deputy Principal Anne-Marie Harland.
The class works with mums and their daughters. Lessons on make-up, hairstyles and fashion become conversations about love, respect and empowerment.
"It’s important for the girls to be able to connect powerfully with their mums," says Mrs Harland, as the students and their mothers write and exchange letters with each other.
"The letters actually help you to open up and tell your kids things that you wouldn't normally tell them," says one of the mothers.
The day ends with a fashion show, with the students encouraged to keep strutting though life their way.
"We don't need the media to tell us that 'you’ve got to have these shoes or that outfit or this make up on to be valuable and to be beautiful.' We’re creating our own style here and claiming our own catwalks," says Mrs Harland.
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