Rapunzel the Hairbrained Workshop

Adolescence is hard. When many girls enter middle school, their self-esteem drops. Academics suffer as they compare themselves to society’s idea of beauty. They find it harder to name activities they are good at. Bullying and cyberbullying can have a lasting effect on a girl’s self-worth.

This is why I wrote “Rapunzel the Hairbrained” for girls in grades 2-4: to build them up with a sense of self-confidence before they enter the perilous middle school year. And I do it through fairy tales.

Rapunzel cover -compressed for documents

This project was made possible through the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency.  I received a grant to publish my unruly fairy tale in 2018.

The IAC grant allowed me to hire a great illustrator, Taylor Lucas, and provide prototype workshops to five groups. I am extremely grateful to IAC and recommend their grant programs to other Indiana creative artists.

 

 

Now that I’ve had the chance to hone the workshop, I’m eager to visit more groups!

The workshop centers around my book, Rapunzel the Hairbrained. The workshop follows the book, which includes three main components:

 

1. Reading the story
2. Discussion questions about inner and outer beauty
3. A “mad lib” we act out together, using the talents the girls just discovered in discussion to escape a tower and save a kingdom.
We also play fairy-tale-themed games such as “Hunt Cinderella’s Slipper.”

 

 

 

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Because of the workbook component, each girl will need a copy of the book. I charge $14 per girl to cover the cost of the book, supplies, travel, and time. Adults sitting in on the workshop are free. If your group serves girls in financial need or children with disabilities, contact me for a 50% discount for those participants.

Each child receives a free bookmark and Rapunzel the Hairbrained comb.

I am happy to travel within central Indiana. Groups further than 30 miles away from Fishers, Indiana may require an additional travel fee at $.50 a mile.

The workshop lasts 1 hour.

Does the program work? Well, obviously we must send our girls the message that  they are beautiful and talented many times as they grow up in order for them to believe it, especially given all the negative messages they hear elsewhere. But in surveys, the average participant showed a .5 point increase in self-esteem on a scale of 1-5 after taking the workshop. This workshop is not to fix a girl’s self-esteem, but to supplement positive messages from parents and mentors as she grows. Each girl takes a copy of the book home to continue to reinforce this message.

Group leaders may contact me at sarahemorin1836@gmail.com for further details or to preview the book.