Mattapoisett woman confidently leads next generation
Kim Gioioso leads a session of her confidence class in the First Congregational Church of Marion’s community center on Friday, Sept. 4. Photos by Grace Roche
Gioioso and her students pose together. 
Participants made vision boards to inspire them to be confident. 
A ball with conversation prompts helped break the ice. 
Class participants filled out worksheets as part of the session. 
Handouts discuss emotional intelligence. 
The group smiles near the community center's stage.
Kim Gioioso leads a session of her confidence class in the First Congregational Church of Marion’s community center on Friday, Sept. 4. Photos by Grace Roche
Gioioso and her students pose together.
Participants made vision boards to inspire them to be confident.
A ball with conversation prompts helped break the ice.
Class participants filled out worksheets as part of the session.
Handouts discuss emotional intelligence.
The group smiles near the community center's stage.
MARION — A group of about 10 girls giggle and chat together inside the First Congregational Church of Marion’s community center, waiting for the beginning of a Friday, Sept. 4 confidence workshop.
Kim Gioioso, of Mattapoisett, leads the sixth graders through a series of worksheets, conversations and activities designed to teach them about emotional intelligence and self-worth.
Gioioso built the curriculum, which was inspired by her previous work with a Pembrook-based confidence coaching center. During the session, she talks to her students about how to deal with bullying, stay safe online and become their most confident selves.
She said the activities, like the fashion show, are fun for the participants but also reinforce the lessons she’s teaching as they learn how to walk with confidence.
“(The) runway is kind of a way to do that because models have strong walks,” Gioioso said. “They walk with purpose, they've got their shoulders back, so we do that. They have a lot of fun with that.”
Participants also have a photoshoot and create vision boards, also meant to help boost their confidence.
She said the class is especially important for this age group as they prepare for junior high school. Whether the girls go on to Old Rochester Regional Junior High School or other schools in the area, Gioioso said they’ll face new friendships and sometimes get hurt by those they already know.
“It's okay to be hurt, but it's giving that person grace and knowing that you're going to meet someone that's also gonna help you grow as a person,” she said. “We talk a lot about that to prepare them — I don't think that conversation is done enough.”
Gioioso said she plans to follow up with her students’ mothers to provide continued support. She also hopes to spread the class to more towns across the South Coast and eventually expand to teaching classes for boys as well.
