Arionna Hart and Tirzah Johnson, 9th grade teachers at Mastery’s Lenfest campus, started Okay Sis! during the 2021-2022 school year to connect with and create community among the students who identify as female at the school. In its second year, Okay Sis! has hosted several events on campus to support more than 50 girls in grades 7-12. In addition to hosting social networking events, Okay Sis! also offers up a mentorship component, pairing 7-9 grade students with 10-12 grade students.

“Typically, since we serve students in grades 7-12, many of the young ladies go years without getting to know their classmates outside of their grade, so we wanted to find a way to create more of a sisterhood in the building,” said Hart. 

Students who are interested in joining Okay Sis! can apply at the start of the school year and are paired with older students based on interests, personalities, and likes/dislikes. Once the students are selected, they are sent a welcome package and are invited to annual brunch where the mentor pairings are revealed. The social events, which are hosted 1-2 per month, provide a dedicated opportunity for the pairings to bond through a fun and engaging experience, like wellness workshops, vision board design, movie night, or even creating care packages for the homeless. The group has even held a Sisterhood Retreat in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

This year, Okay Sis! welcomed Sydney Welch and Domonique Chellis, case managers at the Lenfest Campus, as program advisors. 

“We hope to continue to expand the program in the years to come, and look forward to bringing more opportunities for our students to gain support and sisterhood through fun and enriching experiences that they may not normally have,” said Hart. 

To learn more about the OkaySis mentoring program follow them on instagram @okayysiss.