Since October, the GIRLZ at St. Aloysius have been getting together every other week.

The GIRLZ Group, an organization started by the senior girls at the school, has allowed them to spend time with and help their younger schoolmates as spiritual guides, mentors or just provide an ear to listen to their concerns.

And some of the members were glad to sit down and talk about the group.

“It’s a good way for the younger kids to spend time with the senior girls and learn things from the senior girls,” Madlyn Burke said.

“It’s not just one grade doing it; it’s all grades coming together, all girls from other grades coming together,” Sarah Jane Pierce added.

It all began with a couple of essays from Anne Stewart Piazza and Grace Upshaw, who were applying for the senior class’ retreat team.

“I read Anne Stewart Piazza’s and Grace Upshaw’s essays, and I told them, ‘There’s something to happen from your retreat essays, they were awesome,’” said Joan Thornton, who teaches theology at the school. “It took a while to figure out what it was, and this (GIRLZ) is what we came up with.

“I met with Ann Stewart and Grace and took it to the guidance office, and we were told it was a good idea. Then we took it to the senior girls, and from there, the senior girls really took it over. They had written a prayer they began every meeting with and they set the times. They structured it based in the prayers.”

“I thought it was a good idea to empower the girls of our school and give the girls some recognition.” Pierce said.

When the group meets, they begin with a prayer and fellowship before they break into five tree-named groups and study a scripture passage and then get back together and share it. The scripture for the meeting is selected from a collection of scripture cards.

The idea to use trees for the small groups came from a homily Piazza heard about sequoias, the giant redwood trees in California.

“It was how they support each other,” said Alexandra Tzotzolas.

“Their roots are really shallow, but they all link together,” Madison Powell added.

The seniors decide what they what they want to do that week, and select the topics to discuss related to the verse.

“Everybody shares what they talked about in their small groups with the group,” said Emily Phillips.

“And hopefully,” Thornton said, “They go out and live it.”

“We get together and openly talk about things,” said Mattie Derivaux. “When we have our GIRLZ Group meetings, we get to just openly talk about different things with girls from every grade.”

Pierce said the older girls talk with the younger girls and ask them what they’re going through.

“We give them scripture and Bible verses to help them with things girls go through in general, Upshaw said.

Since the program began in October, Pierce said, “I think all the girls are much closer and it’s become a really safe environment and a really positive environment for everyone.

“Since we are such a small school, we let the younger girls know that if they’re going through anything, they can be close enough to come to this group and talk about it.”

Ella McHan said the group “has been good about giving the younger girls a voice because when we break into a group, it’s organized so there’s girls of all ages and all grades.

“It shows we can depend on other people to help us go through things; that we don’t have go through it alone, that girls can be open with each other and form good friendships to help us through our college and our careers.”

The group, she believes, has helped everyone “boost their self-identity and build a positive image as they go off with family and friends.

“It helps me be more accepting of leaving, because I’ve developed friendships with younger people from my school — not just in my grade,” Maddie Hull said.