ÌÇÐ͝Âþvlog

Student Well-Being & Movement Video

Teachers, Try This: Give Middle School Girls a Space Where They Feel Like They Belong

By Lauren Santucci — February 16, 2023 5:53
Girltalk BS
Email Copy URL

Abby Ramos Stanutz, a teacher at Longfellow Middle School in San Antonio, Texas, realized that if students wanted to join an existing club at her school, they needed a skill, like playing an instrument or a sport, or they’d have to pay to join. Often, clubs required both.

So she created Girltalk, a club where middle school girls can connect with one another, feel like they belong, and talk about their experiences and challenges. The only requirement to join? Being a middle school girl.

The group meets in her classroom each week, and Ramos Stanutz provides food for each meeting as well as sweatshirts for the girls. She’s found unique sources of funding to meet these needs, and has on Teachers Pay Teachers where other ÌÇÐ͝Âþvlog interested in starting something similar can find resources they’ll need.

She also talks about the club and her experiences with it on , where she describes creating the club as being one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.

Lauren Santucci was a video producer for Education Week.

Video

Reading & Literacy Video What Happens When Middle and High Schoolers Still Struggle to Read?
When it comes to reading, teachers and experts alike say that many older students still struggle with the basics.
1 min read
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Special Education Video How This District Teaches Bilingual Students With Dyslexia
Students with dyslexia receive instruction in Spanish or English, depending on their dominant spoken language.
2:28
School & District Management Video The Enemy of Smart, Strategic Spending Decisions in K-12 Districts: Leadership Churn
The EdWeek Research Center surveyed district leaders on the barriers to long-term thinking.
Professional Development Video How One District Is Getting Secondary Teachers Up to Speed on Reading Support
A district invests in improving secondary teachers' knowledge to help students needing reading support.
1 min read
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
Jason Drakeford for Education Week