Messages of Support Continue in Girls’ Bathrooms

Inspiring notes are still being found in the girls' bathroom. Photo by Sarah Garner

“You are so beautiful,” “hey there beautiful… smile,” and “smile, you’re too pretty not to.”

Wouldn’t you like to wake up each morning having someone say these things to you?

Well, you can if you’re a girl at Penn Manor High School.

Lately, mornings at Penn Manor have been self-esteem boosters for some Penn Manor students.

Usually walking into the girls’ cafeteria bathroom consist of straightening your hair, doing your makeup or fixing your clothes.  But lately, girls are getting a kick of confidence from positive messages and even flowers and candy left conspicuously by each sink.

“We feel appreciated because [the people doing it] know the girls go in this bathroom,” said freshman Aalyiah Glen-Cephas.

Notes first appeared in September and may have been part of a national effort to raise self esteem among girls.

Caitlin Boyle, a 26-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., is credited with starting “Operation Beautiful” that strives to help women stop the negative talk about themselves and other girls.

Boyle started her healthy lifestyle blog online in June 2009. She also started the posted-note trend which has spread to many public schools and bathrooms across the country and includes the walls of Penn Manor bathrooms.

Other notes in Penn Manor’s girls’ bathrooms read:“You are so much beautiful” and “God Loves You.”

Now, it looks like it’s being expanded from the last time these notes appeared because now there are flowers and candy rather than just notes on the mirror.

Juniors Maribel Dixon and Aaliyah Glenn-Cephas take time to appreciate the message left randomly in the girl's bathroom. Photo by Sarah Garner

The group of girls in the bathroom who found these items were at first confused because they were not sure what all the fuss was about, but then they were pleasantly surprised when they read the messages along with the gifts.

“It boosts up my self-esteem in the morning,” said junior Maribel Dixon

Some girls at Penn Manor are loving the excitement of not knowing what is next.

“It makes me feel precious because the note I found said so,” said freshman Michelle Keck.

“It makes me feel beautiful,” said freshman Stacie Millson.

The girls look forward to seeing these notes and now with additional candy and flowers they are even more excited.

They ask themselves, what will we find next?

By Sarah Garner