Strutting down an imaginary runway isn't normally part of the curriculum here at LaVelle Prep Charter School.
But Tatiana Torres decided to strike a pose in front of her classmates Friday to show off her character and confidence.
"When I was in my old school there would be this group of girls who made fun of me because my hair is curly and it sticks out, but I feel that everyone here is beautiful just like they are," said Torres, who is in the 7th grade.
Dozens of students took part in a self-love workshop called SpringHER Forward. Girls discuss everything from beauty to bullying through different exercises.
"Since everybody has been bullied I feel more comfortable, because everybody also has an experience," said Angelina Paulicelli, who is in the 7th grade.
The workshop is part of a nationwide empowerment tour by non-profit One Million Girls. Hananatu Tunis started the organization on Staten Island in 2012.
"The goal is to make an impact on one girl for them to then make an impact on other girls, and for her to make an impact on other girls, and we have a chain reaction," Tunis said.
Organizers hope to inspire these girls well beyond this workshop. They all wrote down one positive word to describe themselves on an index card which they're encouraged to keep on them at all times.
"I am passionate because I like expressing myself I'm very social," said Tia Beyruti, who is in the 7th grade.
'It's cool to be who you are, it's cool to be different, and celebrate your uniqueness," said Serena Brother-Mohamed, Career Coordinator at LaVelle Prep Charter School.
The tour stops next in Providence, then Brooklyn and Atlanta.