Pearling Ceremony held at Magnolia Middle School

MERIDIAN, Miss. - Magnolia Middle School hosted a pearling ceremony today for the ’Girls Wear Pearls Mentorship Program. Parents of the members honored their daughter with a string of pearls and pearl earrings. The ‘Girls Wear Pearls Program’ empowers, leads and mentors young girls in grades 6th-8th.

“We encourage young ladies to be everything they can be and anything they want to be," said Mentor Veldore Young Graham. "We take time out of our schedules to make sure that they know that the world is theirs to seize every time and anytime they want to seize it.”

“Today was very encouraging. It was a great impact on my life to be more encouraging to her and it inspired me to do more," said mother of a member Shantell Jackson. "Today was just uplifting and I know that my daughter feels special.”

The program mentors about 160 girls. Officials say they plan to take the organization to a district level and then throughout the state of Mississippi.