It’s easy for young women in high school to get overlooked when it comes to feminism, as they’re only teenagers. However, that doesn’t mean that countless women on campus haven’t gotten a jumpstart at making a difference in their community. When it comes to young women in STEM, leadership, and arts, San Marcos High School excels.
Ava Grace Cordero is a co-president of the sustainable dress club at SMHS; a club that partners with ‘Princess Project’ in order to provide every young woman with a prom dress. The program is able to promote environmentally friendly recycling by reusing prom dresses, and also allows every woman to feel beautiful the night of the dance.
“Last year we sold about 8,000 dresses. I was actually there this weekend with my friends and we all got dresses for prom,” Junior Ava Grace Cordero said. “It was such a fun experience. All of my friends came out with dresses they absolutely loved.”
“Instead of it [unsuccessful events] falling on the guys, it mostly falls on us [women in ASB] just because we’re easier to pick on,” Cordero said.
Cordero is a member of SMHS ASB and is the social media ambassador for the ASB accounts. She’s extremely helpful in assembling events and maintaining order in classroom and event settings. She advocates for all women that participate in ASB, and recognizes how difficult it can be to be seen in such a large program. Cordero mentions that her drive to make change couldn’t have been done without the inspiring female figures in her life.
“My biggest inspiration has been a lot of women role models in my life, such as my grandmother,” Cordero said.
Cordero talks about how her grandmother was an engineer, and was involved in the creation of the Brita; a water filter company.
“I’ve always looked up to her.”
Many women at SMHS look up to the women in their life. Their inspiration is born from these role models upbringing, previous experiences, and constant love that they provide.
“My biggest inspiration is my grandma. She was very poor growing up… she came from nothing and then she became a teacher at an elementary school,” Senior Ruby Stires said.
Stires’s grandmother later became a principal and retired. Like Cordero, Stires is still positively influenced by her grandmother who teaches her to be independent and hardworking. She mentions that she wouldn’t have been able to be the person she is today without the help of her grandmother.
In addition to the women in students’ personal lives, they’ve also found role models in the media.
“I love Taylor Swift because she can get through things, even when people are hating on her,” freshman Emily Chen said.
Taylor Swift’s ability to bounce back despite the efforts of people who aren’t her fans have only caused her to keep going. She’s an independent woman who’s been encouraging for female teenagers, including Chen.
Emily Chen lived in Taiwan when she was younger, and unfortunately the values taught in large amounts of foreign countries, are different than the ones appreciated in America
“[Her grandmother] would say things like, ‘you guys are so pretty and so smart, what a pity you guys aren’t guys,” Chen said.
Despite what her relatives have told her, she still has faith in what’s to come.
“I feel like in our generation, it’s a lot better, and the genders are more equal now,” Chen said.
Historically, personally, or currently, all women look up to the women in their lives. Closing the gap in men and women’s equality has been a difficult task, but is almost accomplished due to the effort of women internationally. It’s inspiring to hear that so many females are creating a bright future for generations to come.
