By SHREYA LANKADA, sophomore

GIRL UP held their first field day on June 3, under the supervision of Ms. Pawlikowski.

Girl Up, a club that was only formed last year here at JP Stevens, focuses on helping and empowering girls in developing countries. The organization, founded in 2010, promotes gender equality and raises money for education and sanitary products. Additionally, money is put toward bicycles and school supplies so that girls are better equipped to study. This event specifically raised money to educate girls in Rajasthan, India, as well as to prevent child marriages.

“Although I’m a relatively new member of Girl Up, being part of the club this year has been such a rewarding and valuable experience. From helping out with holiday gift basket donations at the beginning of the year, to preparing for the event, each and every member was able to make a difference and be a part of something amazing,” said sophomore Zaina Merchant. “Knowing that all of our hard work was going towards such a good cause made all the effort worth it.”

Held right after school, JP students could take time to relax and spend time with friends after a long day. Attendees participated in sports like volleyball or badminton. Traditional field day activities like water balloons and bean bag toss were also available. In addition to the games, there was face painting and a photo booth. The club also put up a popcorn machine, an Icee stand, and sold baked goods, which were all included with the purchase of a ticket.

“Being part of Girl Up is not just helping young girls, but also coming together to empower one another. When I see my fellow Girl Up members dedicating themselves to make our vision a reality, I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished,” said senior board member Aashvi Patel.

Overall, the commitment and hard work from all of Girl Up’s members created a fun event for many students at JP Stevens and helped raise a significant amount of money.