f2b: Building Relationships & Resilience in Middle-School Youth

What is my worth? Who can I count on? What am I capable of?

The way a girl or boy in grades 5-8 answers these questions greatly determines the level of purpose, community and resilience s/he will experience growing into adulthood.

f2b (short for free to be) is a relationship- and resilience-based program from Frieda B., LLC and The Story Barn, created to engage middle-school youth in healthy, positive, inspiring and motivating activities and conversations related to sustainable confidence.

Frieda B. Youth Mentors Emily Dawson (f2b Girls leader) and Hunter Bowers (f2b Boys leader) use inspiring human stories and fun group interaction such as team activities, games, hands-on projects/crafts and campfire discussions to guide each participant toward:

• internalizing the worth and potential of his/her own unique story (I Matter);
• building strong relationships of mutual support and trust (I Belong); and
• believing s/he can do hard things (I Can).

These are drop-off events for girls and for boys in grades 5-8, at The Story Barn in Somers, CT. Register for one date, or for multiple; these events don't need to be attended in succession. Participants are invited to wear casual, activity-friendly clothing and bring a refillable water bottle. Snacks are provided. Each f2b event is limited to 12 participants. 

These events are held monthly.

**Click Here to Check f2b Date Availability & Register**

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About Emily Dawson. Emily grew up in Somers, CT graduating from Somers High School in 2013. She moved to Arizona in 2016 but has since moved back and currently resides in East Longmeadow. As a full-time nanny, and after working in an elementary school in Arizona for over two years, Emily noticed the lack of education and encouragement for young girls to develop grounded, sustainable confidence. Having experienced first-hand, the toll of social media in a culture that values success before soul, Emily knew she wanted to mentor young girls to develop resilience against these influences. Through f2b, Emily intends to create an encouraging community for middle school girls to recognize and value the story within them, creating a foundation for confidence that will not sway with the winds of the world.

About Hunter Bowers. Hunter grew up in Somers, CT. He loved to play youth sports, and now he loves to coach them. A member of the Track & Field and Men’s Basketball Teams at Springfield College, Hunter graduated from Springfield College in 2021 with a degree in K-12 Physical Education, and currently is an elementary teacher in the Rocky Hill (CT) school district. He loves working with kids of all ages, but greatly enjoys working with middle school youth. Through f2b, Hunter creates a safe community for middle school boys, to help them believe in their true worth and the worth of others, and to instill confidence in them at an age when many need it the most.

About Frieda B. and The Story Barn. Be it through our books or our barn, our two-family-owned-and-operated business exists to spark the one-of-a-kind-free-to-be story in every child. We create, publish and distribute the national-award-winning Frieda B. book series. The Story Barn in Somers, CT is home to Frieda B., and to events designed to encourage the story within. Learn more at www.FriedaB.com.