Empowering young women to believe in themselves, chase their dreams, and prioritize self-care is at the heart of the Empowered Girls Club at Carroll County Middle School. Recently, the club welcomed a special guest: Gracie Craig, a proud alumna of Carroll County High School and a thriving medical aesthetician.
Gracie, a young woman who exudes confidence and passion, captivated the middle school girls with insights into her profession, the educational journey she embarked on, and invaluable tips for self-care.
Empowered Girls is a club organized by CCMS Social Worker Brandi McIntyre and Counselor Kyndal Yager. “Our middle school students are really engaged when they get to hear from young professionals like Gracie. Seeing a young person who is passionate and successful in what they do opens their mind to possibilities and helps them see that their dreams aren't that far away,” Kyndal said.
“I get to help people feel confident every single day. It makes you feel good while you’re helping other people feel good,” Gracie said. “My job is genuinely fun.”
Based at the Vibrant Med Spa in nearby Crestwood, Gracie works under the guidance of nurse practitioner Erica Chowning, another proud graduate of CCHS.
Gracie encouraged the girls to be self-motivated, market themselves as a great employee and recognize that the impressions they make now really do matter. In the midst of all that self-promotion, she explained it’s vital to incorporate self-care.
“You’ve got to take time to recharge. You have to be your best self,” Gracie said. “Never feel guilty taking time for yourself.”
Sharing her own self-care routine, Gracie encouraged each girl to discover what makes them feel their best. From makeup to artificial eyelashes, facials, and facial peels, she revealed her passion for beauty and skincare, which began during her own middle school years. However, she cautioned against blindly following trends, advocating for timeless beauty tips over fleeting fads.
“Do not obsess over things you cannot change about yourself. If we did everything that was on TikTok I would hate to see what we look like,” she said with a laugh. It’s important to research products and their effects. She also said it’s important for the girls to understand the impact of things such as vaping, eating too much sugar and not drinking enough water.
Ever the entrepreneur, she also encouraged the girls to research jobs, not be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid to branch out of Carroll County for their careers.
“If you love something, figure out a way to do it daily,” she said as she applied eyelashes to one of the girls and then got to watch her reaction to the special touch.
