A big topic all round the nation is kids getting bullied in school, out of school, and cyber bullied. Senior Velvetena Springer decided to step up, put out the fire, and not to be the oxygen to cause the bullying. In January 2012, Velvetena helped start Pretty Girls Pock (PGR), an organization to help inspire and raise the faith, confidence, and self-worth of young women everywhere. PGR has a goal to raise $50,000-$100,000 each year to give away brand new prom dresses to young women who plan to attend prom, but, at the moment, is in a financial strain.
“I’m an emotional person, so when I saw the stories on the news about the girls and guys that killed themselves from cyber bullying, I decided to want to do something,” Velvetena said.
Another reason why Velvetena created PGR was because when she was in elementary school, she herself was bullied by her fellow classmates.
In addition to fundraisers, PGR also hosts dance classes, ladies’ nights and other activities that might offer young women a chance to meet new friends or discuss areas of interest or problems in their lives.
Adding to her achievements, Velvetena wrote her first novel as a senior.  “Patience”, which she began writing as a sophomore, is based on her life during her parents divorce. She credits her mother as the inspiration to write the book because she watched her work as a single parent to raise her and her brother.
Readers can expect a view of life out the eyes of someone that had a pretty tough life growing up.
“I expect to change lives of young women and men who have gone through the same things I have, and just to let them know they are not alone,” Velvetena said.
“Patience” will be published this summer.