| The Butterfly Project began 11 years ago to provide activities for girls at Terry High School considered "at-risk," but has grown into a district-wide program with recognition by the community at large.
The program implements what is called group mentoring, where participating students conduct activities as a group with several adults presiding. Among those activities are life skills lessons, discussions from guest speakers, performance of community service work and out-of-town trips.
The program today involves girls from the three high schools in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, and it was recognized at the Jan. 9 meeting of the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court as part of a proclamation for National Mentoring Month.
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, 12 girls and three adult mentors gathered at the community center at Lamar Consolidated High School for a weekly meeting. This week, the mentors led the girls in a session of the "ask-it basket."
Melinda Morgan gathered slips of paper in a wicker baset, and she reads question submitted by students, one at a time. Questions range from "What are we doing for Spring Break?" to "How do you ask a person out that you really like?"
After the latter question is read, one of the girls accidentally breaks the rules and admits it was hers. Giggling, she offers an enthusiastic "I'm sorry!" behind a big smile.
Another girl then responds to the question, saying to "be yourself." Yet another chimes in, saying "be real about it."
"But sometimes it's not easy. You get shy; you get stuttering," said the girl who posed the question.
At that point, mentor Kathy Miller offers advice of her own, saying she once made an "adventure" of wooing a boy, even setting up a scavenger hunt that led the boy to her.
The ask-it basket is one of many activities conducted as part of Project Butterfly. Rita Miller said a group of parents at Terry High School started the program to provide an activity for girls who at the time did not participate in any extra-curricular activities.
Miller said the students today may be referred by a school counselor or a local judge, but most have signed up after finding out about the program. About 25 students regularly participate in Project Butterfly this year, said Miller, along with 10 volunteer mentors.
"We don't do one-on-one mentoring," said Miller. "We all mentor all of the girls."
Melinda Morgan, who also participates as a mentor, said she has taken much pride in the success of the students participating. That success can be seen in different forms, from the attaingment of college degrees to the attainment of a steady job. One student, she said, has been very proud of her job in a high school cafeteria.
"The point is they're independent, they're good citizens, they're able to take care of themselves and that they can give back to the community they live in," Morgan said.
Morgan also stresses that the girls participating are neither an "elite" group of girls nor are they "the girls that just have problems." They come from all levels of economic backgrounds, and are involved in other activities such as sports and the performing arts, she said.
"They're just girls looking for a place to be, something to do, and we provide that," she said.
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