Join this middle school course for young women (grades 7-9), and enjoy the Catholic Church’s rich teachings to understand beauty and worth in the eyes of God; the importance of cultivating virtues; healthy friendships; and how an intimate connection with Jesus makes us the most beautiful of all.

How to get the most out of Discovering Your Authentic Beauty & Making Life Full and Fun for Middle School Girls  with Lisa Mladinich:

• Take notes in class and participate in discussions.

• Do your weekly copy work (Scriptures to save in a notebook).

• Do all Challenge assignments before the next class.

• Do all the readings, preferably before doing the writing assignments.

• Do the written assignments before the next class, as well as any extra work assigned for that week, including viewing all video resources (unless marked "optional").

• Once the course is completed to the parents' and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

• Please sit down with a parent and fill out the SURVEY at the end of the course.

Special notes: This course for young women is offered in two forms: for middle school and for high school. This is the middle school course. The high school course is offered in the Fall Semester. There is similar content taught in both courses but at age-appropriate levels. Discovering Your Authentic Beauty for Middle School Girls with Lisa Mladinich complements the Middle School Boys to Men course with Bill Donaghy for the young men, available through Unlimited Access.

Total Classes: 6

Class Dates: Mondays, January 13 to February 17, 2025.

Starting Time: 2:30 PM Eastern (1:30 Central; 12:30 Mountain; 11:30 Pacific)

Duration: 50 minutes

Prerequisite: None

Suggested Grade Level: 7th to 9th grade

Suggested Credit: ½ semester Theology

Instructor Bio: Lisa Mladinich

Fee: For all 6 classes: $99 if you register on or before November 15, $119 if you register after Nov. 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

Course Description: This is an introduction to the rich teachings of the Catholic Church on beauty and femininity, for girls 7th to 9th grade. In a culture that degrades femininity and causes painful confusion for girls about beauty, aging, and body image, the Catholic understanding of beauty is truly a Godsend. Based on the instructor's best-selling book, True Radiance: Finding Grace in the Second Half of Life, girls will come to understand their own beauty and worth in the eyes of God, as well as the importance of cultivating virtue, healthy friendships, and an intimate connection with Jesus in their souls.

Course Outline:

• Class 1: BEAUTY – What beauty looks like for you; what it is to be a young woman of beauty; why beauty is more than skin deep; the beauty of your actions; thinking clearly and confidently; family support

• Class 2: FEMININITY – Teen life and femininity; how Catholic ideas about femininity help us to be happy; what femininity means to you; finding your strengths; how your healthy femininity can help change the world!

• Class 3: MODESTY – God’s image of us; images of modesty in our favorite media; modesty in the way we look, act, and speak; virtues that make us strong women of faith; ways to make fashion fun and modest

• Class 4: FRIENDSHIPS – How to be a great friend; friendships in literature and media; friendships in the Bible and among the saints – and what they can teach us; friendship struggles and how to overcome them

• Class 5: MERCY – The role of the Church in my life; prayer and why it's important to me; forgiving others vs. holding grudges; what we need to know about forgiveness; how prayer changes us and changes others

• Class 6: VOCATIONS – What it’s like to be a leader; serving others through prayer and healthy relationships; the best way to think about learning; listening to God; beauty and my own uniqueness; reaching for and respecting our (and others) hopes and dreams

Course Materials: Provided FREE by the instructor, includes excerpts from True Radiance: Finding Grace in the Second Half of Life, lives of the saints, documents of the Church, and other relevant resources.

Homework: Weekly readings and assignments with grading and direct feedback from the instructor. Expect to spend one to two hours per week on homework outside of class time.