MEXICO — The Western Foothills Kids Association rolled out its fourth annual Girls Talk program Friday afternoon in the Mountain Valley Middle School auditorium for eighth-grade girls going from middle school to high school in September.

Girls Talk is led by Barbara Radmore of the Western Foothills Kids Association.

“It’s the brainchild of Barbara and is run completely by volunteers,” Mountain Valley High School librarian Mary Gamble said. “We’re trying to make sure that our eighth-grade girls transitioning to high school will have positive female role models and positive outlets to allay their fears.”

Radmore said the program is the perfect way for girls to have their questions answered and to meet new friends.

“One girl told me that her mom asked, ‘Are you nervous about going to high school?’” Radmore said. “She told her mom, ‘Are you kidding me? I could find my way through that building with my eyes closed.’ The program really does work.’”

Radmore said with a smile, it’s “usually the women who run the school.

“Guys think they rule and are all over it, but it’s the girls setting the tone for the entire school,” she said.

Among the activities the incoming freshman will participate in as a part of Girls Talk are a talk by the Central Maine Derby team of Bangor at 10 a.m. June 19 in the high school gymnasium. The derby team will deliver a speech titled “Skate Not Hate.”

According to the Central Maine Derby website, the speech includes a roller-skating demo, personal skater bullying stories, a discussion about being part of a roller derby team and how it is similar to being part of a school community, and a chance for students to participate in a ‘sock derby’ bout.

Students will also participate in improvisation games with Mountain Valley High School’s improv team.

Radmore said Girls Team will finish with a trip to Portland for an opportunity to participate in a roller derby game. Following the game, students will have a sleepover in the library of Mountain Valley High School.

Five female students from Mountain Valley High School spoke to the eighth-grade girls and answered questions about starting high school. The students were junior Morgan Gordon, junior Sara Parlin, sophomore Michelle Hale, freshman Stacey Roberts and freshman Ashlynn Young.

Hale told the eighth-graders that a common misconception about high school is that the upperclassmen are mean to incoming freshman.

“I was worried heading into ninth grade that the seniors would be rude, but they were actually really helpful about helping us find our classes,” Hale said. “They want to help you out.”

Gordon added that she felt like sophomores were more likely to give students grief instead of the upperclassmen.

“By the time students are seniors, they’re basically excited for you,” Gordon said.

Another eighth-grader asked the high school students whether there was a lot of homework or not.

“It all depends on what you take for classes,” Gordon said.

Gordon later suggested the girls pay attention to doing homework, since the teachers “will not hunt you down to get it.”

“No one reminds you to do your work,” Gordon said. “If you miss an assignment because you’re sick, no one will come and find you to give it to you. They’ll put a zero in unless you ask.”

Parlin also shared what she considered “an important piece of advice” with the eighth-graders.

“Work hard in your freshman year,” she said. “I slacked off my freshman year, failed two classes and I’m still making up for it now.”

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