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At semester’s end, the project is still in the planning phase. The biggest item on Adams’ agenda is finding interested people to help facilitate the discussions. “I’ve been having difficulties getting involvement,”
Adams said. “Part of the problem is the mass emails, [because] people don’t read them.” Adams said she currently has about eight interested students and is looking for more. Although there are no professors currently signed on to the project, Adams said she would not be opposed to professors getting involved.
But why should someone devote the time? “I think it’s a great thing for everyone to get involved with because we get so many messages from the media telling us who we are is wrong. It’s important to get the message out early on that the media isn’t always right.” Adams said she has stacks of books in her room that she’s been perusing to come up with ideas for what resources they can use, what questions to ask,
and what projects to do with the kids.

Adams met earlier with Hancock staff member Shannon McParland, who brought the idea to discussions with Hancock teachers. According to Adams, the response was good, and McParland has since provided Adams with a number of suggestions for how to get the project moving, including the possibility of a mini-grant from the school. Adams is currently writing up her proposal to request books for the students and art supplies for projects. Adams said she will use these in the first project she wants to do with the kids, which is to have them create an image of how they see themselves.

While she waits for more students to show interest, Adams is trying to solidify a schedule that works for everyone who is currently interested. The discussions will probably take place about once or twice a month for around half an hour, Adams said. She hopes the first discussions will begin in mid-to-late January or some time in early spring. Adams also hopes to build interest and involvement early on so that by the time she leaves to study abroad this spring semester, she can be sure that the project is up and running.

Although the project officially began in FMLA, Adams says she is looking for involvement from all students. Adams said, “we’re not just aiming at women, or just white students; we want students of color, we want men, we want GLBT students, whatever your background, it’s important. We’re all very different, and the students at Hancock are all very different, too. It’s important for them to have role models that they can identify with.” Adams believes very strongly that it is important for students of color to get involved with the project because the media images tend to portray very white standards of beauty. She wants young children of color at Hancock to have role models who can show them that white is not the only color that beauty comes in.