Every ROX Program includes a career speaker day, and one of my ROX Groups invited our State Representative to share her experience being a woman in a male-dominated job. It was great to see my girls take ownership of the visit and the excitement that they got to speak with someone who grew up in a 'normal' way but was able to do great things in our community as a strong, assertive woman!

Brittany is soft spoken and fairly shy. When being interviewed for a speaking role at the ROX fundraiser, she didn’t speak up and wasn’t chosen for the role. She was devastated.

The night of the fundraiser, however, she was asked if she wanted to speak. She lit up and was so excited. She nailed it! She showed such bravery and confidence that night. She said ROX helped her to speak up and use her voice.

When I first discovered ROX and presented it to my previous "princiGal" Caryn, she was familiar with the program and BEYOND supportive in my journey to become a Facilitator.

Caryn made sure I received the necessary training and helped to secure the funding for the ROX Program. Fast forward 3 years later, and she encouraged me to present with her at a district professional development about the importance of The ROX Program. This helped bring a larger spotlight to the program. We were the only ROX Program in our county. Now I have moved onto another district but I will NEVER forget my ROX CHAMPION, Caryn!

I have been a ROX facilitator for 3 years. In my third year, I moved to a new state. ROX was one of the first things I pitched to my district administration as a must-have for my role as an elementary school counselor in the district.

I was invited to present the ROX Program to the school board and share the pre- and post-test data with board members and other stakeholders in the district. It was such a pleasure to share the data points with the community and advocate for the program.

Over the course of the year, my group of girls demonstrated tremendous growth in nearly every measured area. I was especially excited to see a significant increase in the girls’ ability to communicate assertively, as well as their growth in self-defense skills. It is incredibly rewarding to see the girls using the language and skills they learn in ROX outside of our meeting time.

ROX is such a phenomenal program, and I look forward to continuing to share it with future cohorts of girls.

Bentley has shown tremendous growth in ROX. She has learned how to set healthy boundaries with her friends in order to continue her personal growth. She has also allowed herself to be open—both in feeling and sharing—which has helped her reflect and receive support from her peers and from me as the ROX Facilitator. Watching her behavior shift and seeing her desire to grow both academically and emotionally has been such a bright light, not only for me to witness but especially for her mom.

Logan has been a fabulous supporter of the ROX program in Stark County, OH for years! He represents the Stark County Heath Department and has helped grow The ROX Program in the area through grant funding.

Logan does all the "work” to help get ROX into more schools in the county, as well as support all of the facilitators through recommendations, contacts and guidance. He is a ROX hero for our county!

At our school, the ROX Program is offered specifically to 6th-grade girls, giving them the opportunity to build essential life skills during a pivotal stage of their development. Meeting once or twice a week, the group created a safe and supportive space for open conversation, self-reflection, and skill-building.

I was inspired to teach the ROX program because I see firsthand how much today’s girls are navigating, from self-doubt and peer pressure to social media and academic stress. I wanted to be part of building their confidence and resilience.

Throughout the semester, the girls learned to manage friendships, set healthy boundaries, boost self-esteem, and develop positive body image. They also explored strategies for handling stress, staying safe, and becoming stronger communicators and leaders.

The impact was clear.

Watching them grow more confident each week was incredibly rewarding. It was a powerful reminder of how vital this program is for the future of our girls in our community.

We have been truly fortunate to be able to build an amazing community with the girls who have completed the ROX Program at our school. These girls develop a sisterhood and bond that truly empowers each of them to pursue their goals and to walk confidently through the spaces that they are in. 

Over the past 3 years, we have graduated 30 ROX Girls and the transformation in some of them has been night and day. They not only challenge and support each other, but I have seen them do the same for other girls in our school of 1900 students. Being part of ROX has become a big part of their identity and community, and they always ask to continue meeting and growing together. Each year they welcome the new group of girls, and spread encouragement to them as well. It has created such a powerful connection within our school.

Our district is a proud supporter of ROX, facilitating 9 groups in all 7 of our school buildings last year. After learning skills on communication, collaboration and leadership, our ROX Facilitators created an opportunity for all of our ROX leaders in grades 4 through 9 to work together on a food drive.

Our ROX Girls took the lead in advertising the food drive, and at the completion of the food drive, all of the ROX Groups in the district assembled food baskets at a local community center. 

The food drive produced 773 food items, and at least 56 area families received a full meal thanks to the the food drive. At our end of year parties, many girls shared that this was one of their favorite ROX experiences. It was truly amazing to see our girls' confidence and friendships grow by taking on this project as a team.

Last year I had the opportunity to run the ROX Program as a quarter long course. As a busy school counselor, I was nervous to take on teaching an additional course, but I am so glad I did! I had a cohort of 8th grade girls everyday. I watched this group learn, grow and become confident ROX Girls. The girls often told me ROX was their favorite part of their day. One day a girl came in and told me she had a really rough day, but knowing that she got to end her day with ROX made it okay.

My administrator stopped in another day and asked the girls what they liked most about ROX. Many of the girls said they loved ROX because it is a place where they can talk openly about what it is like to be a girl in middle school without feeling judged. ROX is a place where they can be themselves and be supported by other girls. 

Over the course of the quarter the girls and I laughed, cried and learned so much about ourselves. This group of girls was so special. They all bonded no matter what friend group they were in outside of ROX. They included each other and cheered each other on. I learned as much from them as they learned from me. I will forever be grateful that I was able to spend that time with them! 

ROX has been life-changing for me-not only as an educator and leader in my school, but also personally. Through the program as a Facilitator, I learned about the importance of healthy relationships, boundaries, self-defense, and having the courage to use my voice. 

These lessons gave me the strength I needed to leave an unhealthy situation in my own life, and begin building a safer, stronger future for myself and my children. Because of ROX, I not only found the courage to make positive changes in my life, but I am now able to share those lessons with my students.

My hope is that by empowering girls with confidence, self-advocacy skills, and knowledge about healthy relationships, I can help them avoid harmful situations and instead build lives filled with strength and respect. ROX didn't just influence my leadership-it saved my life. And now I get to pay it forward to the next generation of girls. What an honor and gift that is!

In a pioneering move for our state, Hurley proudly became the first school in Wisconsin to adopt the transformative Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX) program in 2023. This evidence-based curriculum, implemented and championed by Hurley's own Shannon Peterson (Licensed Teacher, ROX Facilitator), is opening doors and empowering our female students with invaluable life skills.

Shannon, whose dedication has been instrumental in bringing this program to life, recognized the profound impact ROX could have on the girls of Hurley. Shannon helped guide girls through critical topics, equipping them with practical tools, self-identified solutions for conflicts, basic self-defense techniques, and assertive communication skills. The ultimate goal is to significantly boost self-worth and self-confidence, preparing them not just for academic success, but for life.

Through Shannon's ROX groups, girls are actively learning to overcome challenges, gaining skills that will serve them currently, throughout their future endeavors, and for the rest of their lives. The vision is for every girl at Hurley to have the opportunity to complete this empowering course.

On the first day of school Klaire came up to me and said, "Are we going to have ROX this year, because I heard we weren't. It made me really sad to think we weren't because it was the first time I ever felt included in a group and was able to talk about situations that have hurt me." After reassuring Klaire that ROX was going to start after Labor Day, she began to smile and say, "Oh thank you, I have really missed having a place to talk to a safe adult all summer when we weren't in school. I am really excited because this year I already know what ROX is about, and I am ready to start!"

"’Mrs. Carns, are you still doing the ROX program? It was my favorite thing you did with us!’ This is a typical response I hear when I see my elementary alumni. I have been implementing the ROX curriculum for 15 years.

ROX days always enhance school attendance. The girls look forward to having a safe space to talk about things they are experiencing and struggling with. There is no doubt ROX has impacted the futures of our 5th grade girls. It is a rite of passage and has outlasted many other school programs. It has changed my life as a teacher, counselor and woman.  I look forward to continuing many more years of facilitating ROX!

In her own words, ROX has given her the confidence she needs to make good choices and step into leadership roles.

Lily has shown tremendous growth and leadership in our school. One example was when she volunteered for the school beautification project, planting flowers in front of the building. She not only showed initiative but also invited her mom and grandmother to join her, turning the project into a multi-generational effort of love and pride for the school community.

This year, Lily is taking her leadership even further by participating in our new “Accountability Buddy” program. In this role, she encourages and supports students who have struggled with chronic absenteeism, using her ROX skills to cheer them on, build connections, and create a sense of belonging. Even though the program just started, Lily is already thriving as a role model, showing kindness, empathy, and encouragement every week.

Beyond structured programs, Lily naturally uses her ROX tools daily. She practices empathy, active listening, and emotional support for peers who may be going through difficult times. Whether it’s reminding a friend to breathe, offering a listening ear, or helping others feel safe online, Lily consistently models what it means to be a confident, compassionate leader.

We absolutely love Lily and are so proud of her growth through ROX. From a quiet sixth-grader to a confident seventh-grade leader, Lily is a true example of how ROX helps girls step into their power. As she prepares for her final year at our school, we know she will continue to shine brightly and inspire others along the way.

Kadence was a quiet, shy 5th grade student. She had things to say, but wasn’t always the most confident to say them. Kids would say mean things to her, she would report them - but never wanted them to be addressed by an adult and especially not with her present! By the end of ROX, she was willing for an adult to intervene. 

Fast forward to half way through ROX Leadership programming… a student was saying rude things to her. She reported it to me and chose to address the student with me present. It was so inspiring to watch her use her voice, for the other student to actually hear from her how their words were impacting her! When they told her they were sorry and would stop making comments …. I thought she was going to burst! As soon as the student walked out of the office she smiled a smile I had never seen before! She was so excited, proud, and confident that the student would stick to their word! What an amazing moment to be able to witness her use her voice!

A Story About: A Georgia ROX Cohort
Submitted By: Gabrielle Brundidge, Licensed School Counselor, ROX Facilitator, ROX Dr. Patty Fellow
Key ROX Program Outcomes: Increased confidence, academic improvement, improved leadership
Did You Know? 3 out of 4 ROX Programs that start with philanthropy become self-sustaining due to demonstrated impact and effectiveness.

I’ve had the privilege of facilitating over 50 young women through ROX’s powerful curriculum. While I’ve watched their academic confidence grow, what’s been even more inspiring is how they’ve stepped into leadership roles and begun to carry themselves with a sense of pride and purpose.

This past year was especially meaningful. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Witt, a new donor who believed in our mission, almost every eighth-grade girl was able to complete the ROX program. Her support didn’t just fund a curriculum, it created a ripple effect. 

ROX has become more than a program, it’s a movement. These girls are learning to lead, to speak up, and to advocate not just for themselves but for one another. That’s the true impact of ROX.

A Story About: Akasha, a 9th grade ROX Girl from Maine
Submitted By: Erin Muller, School Counselor, ROX Facilitator
Key ROX Program Outcomes: Improved school attendance, learned about healthy relationships
Did You Know? 78% of girls who participated in ROX have improved school attendance or feel an increased connection to school.

Thanks to ROX, Akasha went from missing 4 days of school each week to 1 day. Her grades improved, and she tested out of intervention. She graduated 8th grade and is now in 9th grade! Additionally, towards the end of the school year she decided to break up with her long-time boyfriend because she started to realize it wasn't a healthy relationship for her. She is a strong and fierce young lady!

This past spring was our first cohort. 10 6th grade girls were selected. At first the girls struggled to share their true feelings, but as time went on they gained skills that allowed them to express their own needs, support the needs of others, and to make decisions.

They grew in their confidence, leadership, and sharing their own voices. As the group continued to learn, they expressed that they wanted to make a video to share their experiences with what they had been learning by being ROX girls and also also the importance of what they had been learning. 

They decided what they wanted to share in the video and then recorded it (and faced their fears about talking on camera). Our district communications director and I worked to piece it all together and then the video was shared district-wide and on social media (see the video below!)

The girls were so proud of their work. Their teachers, principal, and counselor all commented that they saw the growth and learning in the girls. We are looking forward to continuing to build skills in our girls going forward.

I began with a pilot group as the only facilitator running an after school group for about 13 girls. My own daughter talking about what stuck with her from ROX motivated me to reach out and find a way to increase our footprint. We now have 8 certified ROX facilitators, offer ROX during school hours, and I have transitioned into admin. Our funding has evolved from community donations to school funding, and we strive to provide the ROX curriculum to every female by the time they graduate.

We now teach self-defense with all levels together on ROX day. On this day, community members lead the girls through career sessions as well as self-care. Older girls are paired with younger girls as mentors, and ROX alumni speak about what it means to be a ROX Girl beyond high school.

We have completed community outreach projects focused on beauty, invited role models in to share in self-defense, and extended our district's goal for place-based learning. We have established a reciprocal relationship with our community in which we value our resources, and they value our girls.