We begin our lives as young girls, receiving direction and guidance from one or both parents. Some of us must seek our own direction because our parents are not present. It is imperative that we invest in our young girls so they become brilliant young women. In the spirit of Women’s History Month, let us inspire our girls and young women to break barriers, excel beyond their imaginations, and gather vision to reach for the stars. For them to do this, we must be present and support them.
In the past 13 years, I’ve had the pleasure of watching a young, precocious girl grow from an infant to a brilliant young lady. Jalen “Genine” Langie will begin her first year of college this fall at the tender age of 13. Needless to say, she is gifted. Jalen also has a clear conscious of social justice and reaching back to help other children. She has this perspective because her parents love and support her. Her mother ensures she has resources and invests time in her daughter every step of the way. She is loved and anchored.
Jalen and her mother, under pseudonyms, J. and R. Genine, co-wrote a book when she was eleven, called Lena Jellie Beana, Science Matters. This book is a science-based, character-driven book, targeting children ages 6-10. The book supports the continuation of free science activities for youth and reinforces science through literature.
Lena Jellie Beana is a 9-year-old girl who enjoys conducting science experiments. In Science Matters, her experiment goes terribly awry. All of her classmates, including her science nemesis, will have their eyes on her to see her next move to resolve this blunder. The conflict ignites as Lena tries to rectify this mistake and do what is right in her interactions with those involved. Lena is not alone in her scientific journey. She has renowned scientists (Einstein, Imhotep, and Hypatia), her comedic friends, and pesky little brother to help her along the way in her discoveries in science and life lessons.
Along with the book, she and her mother created a community service project developed to engage and expose younger children to science through various hands-on activities. The project’s main goals are to increase children’s appetites for exploration and learn how to have fun conducting simple experiments with household items. The Lena Jellie Beana Science Matters project was designed to meet an educational need throughout communities and entice youth to probe the world of science, technology, engineering, art and math.
Jalen works to inspire younger youth (K-6th grade) through practical activities in hopes of sparking science interest early in children. Since the project began in 2013, the Science Matters project has exposed more than 1,600 children in libraries, youth clubs, girls scout groups, STEM events, schools and at-risk youth organizations. This young lady is an inspiration to me! I cannot wait to see what is yet to come from Jalen Langie, a change agent at 13.
In most cases, women learn how to be from their mothers. Mothers are the example of what a woman should be and how we view ourselves. Take time and visit the Lena Jellie Beana, Science Matters site with your daughter/daughters. You can work together as a team on experiments you create in the kitchen with household products, and have fun spending time together and learning about science.
Please visit links below and learn more about Lena Jellie Beana, Science Matters.
Also include in your reading some great recommendations for learning how to build strong mother and daughter relationships.
• Mother Daughter Me, Katie Hafner
• Because I Love Her, Karen Joy Fowler, Joyce Maynard
• Mothering & Daughtering, Sil and Eliza Reynolds
• Chicken Soup for the Mother & Daughter Soul, Jack Canfield, Mark V. Hansen, Dorothy Firman, Julie Firman, Frances Firman-Salorio
Athena Russell says
I found this so interesting and will share with all my girlfriends who have little girls.
Janet M. Brooks says
Thank you Athena. It is a great read for children and gives them resources to learn about science and math right at home. You can purchase the book “Jeana Jellie Beana, Science Matters” on Amazon.com.