Questions and Answers to be shared with your Daughter

Who are I? 
My name is Amy Rupp and I live with my husband, Travis, and our two children, Ava and Sebastian. My favorite place to be is outdoors. Whether it is sitting by a stream water coloring or hiking up a tall mountain. I don’t mind getting dirty and will play in the mud or splash in water puddles. I like adventure. 

I was a teacher for a long time and worked at three schools around town, Gladys Wood, Ptarmigan, and Abbott Loop Elementary. Now I lead kids into the woods during the summer and meet with girls sharing lessons about living a heartfelt and joyful life. 

Where will the workshops be held? 
At Leeanna’s Studio in the Turnagain Arts Building. It’s a great space to create art, play games, and sit together in circle.

What is a Nature Song Workshop? 
This workshop is for girls ages 8 to 12 who live in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a space exclusively for you to be yourself and have fun. (If you are nervous about joining, you are not alone. See the message below from girls who felt the same.) Each workshop is broken into three parts; the talking part, the active part, and the creative part.

The talking part
Together we explore what makes us feel healthy and happy. This happens sitting on the floor in a circle where everyone can share, talk and ask questions. We learn from each other and take turns sharing our thoughts and ideas. (Sharing aloud is not required.) 

The active part
We have fun playing games together. Sometimes we do yoga or meditation. We might dance or sing. I’m always open to suggestions!

The creative part
We will always draw, paint or create something with our hands that ties into what was discussed in circle. Past projects include making epoxy necklaces, sewing repurposed jean bracelets, and needle felt creations. Future ideas include painting with acrylics and watercolor, creating a large community mural, and harvesting plants to create healing salves.

Do adults stay? 
No. Whoever drops you off, does not stay. This is a special time for you. 

What if I really like the circle? Will you be doing more? 
Yes! I will be offering Saturday workshops in the fall, winter, and spring as well as fun gatherings like Mother/Daughter Circles. In the summer, I plan to run a camp just for girls (alongside my current nature camps) and plan to take a handful of girls (ages 10 to 12) and their mothers backpacking to Rabbit Lake.

How many girls will be there? 
There will be between 6 and 12 girls. 

Will girls talk about it at school? 
There is an agreement that we do not share each other’s stories outside of the circle. Girls can talk about what they did and what they said, but not share what others say.

(It’s good for you to know that if I have a concern for your safety, I will speak to your mom and dad but I will let you know first that I am going to do that.) 

Are there any other agreements?

We take turns speaking
Mistakes are O.K.
No negative self-talk or gossip 

We will chat about these at the beginning of our circle to make sure we all understand what they mean. 

Is there anything else I should know? 
Yes. Girl workshops are about having fun with others. In them, we discover that we are not alone in our thoughts and feelings. That other girls are having similar experiences and have similar questions about growing up, school, friends, parents, etc. In circle, we can be ourselves, learn and laugh. 

If you feel a little nervous about coming, that is okay and normal. Below are a few comments girls have made about our time together: 

“When I first came here, I was really scared because in the past I have had a hard time meeting new people. It was really nice to meet people that were my age and that were really nice and welcoming.” 

“My favorite part was pretty much everything. There wasn’t a dull moment of this camp. It was really fun to make art.”

”If you are scared, try it anyways. It’s so much fun.”