high school, cheer, dance, career prep, Baylor University, sign language, Zambia, Sew Powerful, favorite subjects, grade, Nana Camp, future plans, extracurricular activities, disorders, part-time job, purses, stay in school

We are Sew Powerful, How a Global Community of Seamstresses Is Changing Zambia One Girl at A Time, 2^nd edition. By Jason G. Miles and Cinnamon, © 2016 & 2020 Jason G. Miles and Cinnamon, all rights reserved.

Communication Sciences and Disorders, Baylor University: https://www.baylor.edu/csd/

Goat yoga, https://www.eventbrite.com/o/goat-yoga-texas-14850243098

Cheer Flyer, https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Flyer-in-Cheerleading

Sew Powerful purse pattern: https://www.sewpowerful.org/collections/purse-pattern

The Sew Powerful Podcast shines a light on the people behind the mission to keep girls in school and create purposeful products in Zambia. Join us every week for a new 30-minute episode to meet new people, hear inspiring stories, and learn how you can join us in this global movement. Whether you sew or not, make purses or not, you will find something to enjoy in every episode. Listen today.

Host: Jan Cancila

Guest: Corinne and Carly

Jan Cancila, Host 00:04

Welcome to the Sew Powerful podcast. This is your host, Jan Cancila. You know the sound of my sewing machine means it's time for another episode. So, let's get started.

Jan 00:20

Hello Sew Powerful podcast listeners. Today we are going to look at Sew Powerful through the eyes of two very charming, smart and wise teens. We're going to talk about their busy High School lives in Austin, Texas, and their plans for their futures. Both girls have recently viewed the Sew Powerful seven-minute purse distribution video, we're going to get their impression of what they saw, and how they relate to the girls and Zambia a world away from their very different lives. Oh, and these two teens are my adorable granddaughters Corinne and Carly. Hi, Corinne and Carly. How are you?

Corinne 01:03

I'm good.

Carly 01:04

I'm good, too. How are you?

Jan 01:06

Oh, fantastic. It's wonderful to see you. And I'm so glad that you agreed to do this. Let's get some background information. Where are you? Where are we talking to you from?

Corinne 01:17

Austin, Texas.

Jan 01:18

Austin, Texas. Okay, and Corrine start with you. What grade are you in?

Corinne 01:23

I'm a senior in high school.

Jan 01:24

And when are you going to be graduating? But it's your graduation date?

Corinne 01:28

May 22.

Jan 01:29

Yes. sort of embedded in your mind there. And Carly, what about you? What grade are you in?

Carly 01:34

I'm a sophomore in high school.

Jan 01:37

Yeah. Okay. And Carly, what is your most and least favorite subjects?

Carly 01:43

I would say that my favorite subject is probably math because I'm really good at it. And it like for me like I can understand it well. And my least favorite subject would probably be maybe history because it already happened, and I can't understand it that well.

Jan 02:06

Okay.

Carly 02:07

It's a it's a lot of memorization.

Jan 02:09

Yeah, true. And in Corinne, what about you? What subject do you like best and least?

Corinne 02:15

My favorite subjects are probably science and history. And then I'd say, I don't know. I don't really have a least favorite maybe math, but it's not like I hate math. It just, it takes a little longer for me.

Jan 02:29

So you two have like the exact opposites of favorites and least favorites.

Corinne and Carly 02:34

Yeah.

Jan 02:34

That's amazing. That is amazing. Okay, so Carly, why don't you tell us what extra-curricular activities do you participate in in high school?

Carly 02:43

I'm in varsity cheer. And that consists of a lot of practices. Every day I go to the school. And at my last period of class every day is cheer. And sometimes a lot after school practices. We do a lot of things for our community, and we really just yeah help our school spirit.

Jan 03:06

Yeah, you do. I've seen Carly cheer and do still get up on top of the pyramid. What do they call that when you go up there?

Carly 03:13

Sometimes.

Jan 03:14

Yeah. What is that called?

Carly 03:16

Flying

Jan 03:17

Flying? Yes. You're a flier. All right, and Corinne, what extracurricular activities do you participate in?

Corinne 03:24

So, for my extracurriculars, I'm a dancer. I'm on the dance team at my high school. I used to dance competitively outside of school as well. But my junior year, I decided to focus on school spirit, and you know just really having a good bond with the people that I actively engage with that school. So.

Jan 03:42

Oh, very busy girls, and your grades are good? Both of you?

Corinne and Carly 03:47

Yes.

Jan 03:48

Yes. Very good grades. all right.

Carly 03:49

All A's.

Jan 03:51

All A's. That's fantastic. Okay, tell our listeners a little bit about some really fun activity that I got to do with you for about four or five summers when you were younger, called Nana Camp. Do you remember Nana Camp?

Corinne and Carly 04:05

Yes, I love Nana Camp. Loved.

Carly 04:08

Such a fun time in the summer. I would always look forward to we got to have t shirts and hats and all this fun stuff. And we would do stuff for charity every single time. And we would do fun things like going to NASA or going to the zoo. And we went to the Children's Museum.

Corinne 04:26

I remember taking a sewing class. She definitely taught me how to sew and I love doing that with her. So that was always fun.

Carly 04:35

One of my favorite memories is always getting to come home with a blanket at the end that we would sew some of it ourselves

Corinne 04:43

Or make a bag or whatever it is that we wanted to make. She always let us pick.

Jan 04:47

Do you remember anything with animals and exercising? A little hint.

Corinne 04:53

Oh my gosh, we did goat yoga one year.

Corinne and Carly 04:56

Wow it was so fun.

Carly 04:57

I still have those pictures saved on my phone.

Corinne 05:00

So do I.

Carly 05:01

Those baby goats were so cute.

Corinne 05:02

That just came up on my like memories.

Jan 05:05

I know, goat yoga is something I never thought I would do. Now, Corinne, you have a part time job. But that's also part of your high school curriculum, right?

Corinne 05:15

Yes. So I'm in a really, really amazing program through my high school called Career Prep. So basically, I am allowed one off period in my school schedule. And I have one period design in my schedule, where we learn about like, how to present yourself in an interview, and how to prepare for an interview, and you know, how to apply for scholarships and how to take the initiative at work. And my teacher goes and talks to my manager, and it's part of my grade to do well at work. And I'm required to work 15 hours a week. And it's been a really good way for me to learn the value of money and appreciate my money and how I want to spend it and how I want to save it, and how much things cost as well as like being prompt and on time. And this is what you should wear to an interview. This is how you should interact in a way that's more professional and less kind of the way that you're treated in a school environment.

Jan 06:20

And what is your job? What do you do for your part time job?

Corinne 06:23

So my part time job, I am a hostess at a local Italian restaurant. Yeah.

Jan 06:29

And is that fun?

Corinne 06:31

Oh, yeah, I love my job. I work with some really, really amazing people. And yeah, I love my job.

Jan 06:38

Now, what are your plans for when you graduate, Corinne?

Corinne 06:41

I plan to attend Baylor University next fall. And I'm really excited about that.

Jan 06:46

And what you plan to study?

Corinne 06:48

I plan to study Communication Sciences and Disorders on the pre-med track, which is basically like children or adults who have speech impairments or disorders, whether they're born with it, or maybe they were in like a car accident, and then something like that. And it's basically the way that you retrain your brain to speak and so helping other people with that, and I'm really interested on the focus of sign language and working with deaf children. I want to take that and apply that to medicine in any way that I can.

Jan 07:26

Cool. And Carly know you're only a sophomore right now. But do you have any career or college aspirations? Or have you been thinking about that?

Carly 07:35

Yes, I definitely want to get into a good college and go somewhere. I have absolutely no clue where I want to go. I don't currently have a job because cheer for me is really busy. It involves a lot of before school and after school activities. And so, I really just don't have time for a job without overworking myself and not being able to leave room for studying. But if I did get one I don't know what it would be.

Jan 08:01

Okay, well, that's good. Well, you have time to figure that out.

Carly 08:04

Yeah.

Jan 08:05

Okay, well, let's talk a little bit about the Sew Powerful video. So, it's a seven-minute video. And for listeners who haven't watched it, you can find it on our YouTube channel and just search on Sew Powerful Purse Distribution. It's a seven-minute video. And Corinne and Carly have both watched it. And it shows girls in Zambia being told in their health class that they're going to be getting the Sew Powerful purse that contains reusable feminine hygiene supplies, underwear and soap. And the girls are they're pretty excited to hear that news, aren't they girls?

Corinne and Carly 08:47

Yes.

Carly 08:48

It was such an amazing thing.

Jan 08:50

So when you first turn on the video, and you hear all this cheering and clapping, what did you think was happening?

Carly 08:57

Well, since I know a little bit about the Sew Powerful movement, and kind of what it was, I assumed that they were going to get purses because we've helped make some of those before. But I just really, like it warms your heart, to know that those people are getting things that make them so excited and happy.

Jan 09:14

Right? Because for them, it was the difference of being able to go to school or have to stay home, right?

Corinne and Carly 09:21

Mm hmm. Yeah.

Jan 09:23

Yeah. And you know, I can hear from talking to you how important school is for you for your education, for your future, for your extracurricular activities, for your friends. I mean, all of it. And without the supplies in those purses that's not an option for those girls. Right?

Corinne 09:41

Yeah, yeah. It's really, really incredible that they're able to get that.

Jan 09:46

Yeah. And were you surprised to know that there were parts of the world where girls were having to stay home from school on their period?

Carly 09:55

Yeah, that's insane. I can't imagine not being able to go to school when I was on my period that would be life changer, I would fall so behind so fast.

Jan 10:03

Yeah, yeah. And, you know, the simple thing that they were getting compared to how excited they were, what did that mean to you? What did you see in that?

Carly 10:15

It really puts you in perspective, like, if we got a purse with like, some pads in it, that'd be like, Oh, this is so helpful. But for them, it's like a life changing thing. Like that, that affects their entire future. For us. It's just, it affects maybe like, two or three months, but for them that affects their entire life and their future, and the plans that they have for themselves.

Jan 10:40

Yeah. And so, you know, we've seen the girls who have gotten the supplies now be able to finish their education. And in Zambia, you have to pass a test in seventh grade, to be able to continue your education. And if you don't pass, then you can't go on. So, seventh grade is the highest you can get. And not being able to go to school, you can imagine how hard it would be to pass the test, because you just haven't been in school to get it. So

Corinne 11:09

Yeah.

Jan 11:11

And you know, the other thing that happens is that we employ the moms to make the pads so that they have a job to help support their family. So that's all part of it. What kind of encouragement would you give the girls? I mean, they seem pretty excited about being in school. What could you offer them in terms of encouragement to keep going?

Carly 11:32

It's definitely like a battle for them, just like it is for everyone else. And like a period never feels good. But I think knowing that they can have those products will just make them feel so much better. And if I could give some words of encouragement, it would definitely be just like, you know, focus on school now that you can and really focus on the positive side of life.

Jan 11:51

That's fantastic. Well, thank you so much for your time. I have to say, I never asked the ages of my guests, but I'm going to make an exception here. So, Corinne, how old are you?

Corinne 12:03

I'm 17

Jan 12:04

And Carly?

Carly 12:06

I'm 15

Jan 12:07

Yeah, so words of wisdom from our younger generation. And the empathy that you two extend to the girls that live very different lives is just very heartwarming, and I appreciate that you did that. So thank you so much. And I never say this to my guests, but I love you.

Corinne and Carly 12:25

I love you too.

Jan 12:26

And, and, and I'm going to see you tomorrow, so I'm very excited about that.

Corinne and Carly 12:31

So so excited.

Jan 12:33

So thank you for being a guest on the Sew Powerful podcast.

Corinne and Carly 12:37

No problem. Thanks for having us as your guest.

Jan 12:41

Okay, bye bye. Bye.

Jan 12:45

If what you've heard today inspires you to want to make a difference. I urge you to explore the Sew Powerful website at www.sewpowerful.org That's SEWPOWERFUL dot ORG. The website has great information about the organization. It's where you can download the free purse patterns, or even make a donation. We hope you will join us again next week when we bring you another Sew Powerful story. Thanks for listening. Now, go out and have a Sew Powerful day.