Pass it on: Today is National Every Person is a Person of Worth Day
Mary Jo Podgurski
Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski with a book she wrote, “Sex Ed is in Session: An Adult Guide to Connecting with Young People About Life’s Tough Topics”
Yes, today is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day. And National Cheesesteak Day.
And, for the first time, it’s National Each Person is a Person of Worth Day.
The day, created by Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, the founder of the Academy for Adolescent Health Inc., aims to reinforce what its name implies – to acknowledge the self-worth of every person, and to offer a message of hope, empowerment, and self-esteem.
“My passion is helping young people find their worthiness,” said Podgurski. “We teach people to have self-worth. You can’t give people self-worth in one session. It has to be done through affirmations and positive modeling, always. It’s not a one-time shot.”
Podgurski got the idea of establishing Each Person is a Person of Worth Day last year, after she started posting a daily National Day – from the serious, such as World Down Syndrome Day, to the silly, like National Awkward Moments Day.
“People were so focused on the negative things that were happening, so I decided I’d post a National Day every day as a fun distraction,” said Podgurski, who confessed, laughing, that she tries “not to do too many chocolate ones.”
Since late March, Podgurski has posted one every morning on Facebook.
“In the summer I thought we should have one, so we applied and we got it,” she said.
National Each Person is a Person of Worth Day was approved by and registered with National Calendar Day.
The day offers a unique opportunity to spread the message of self-worth.
Podgurski suggests Each Person is A Person of Worth National Day should include celebrations of each person’s unique contribution to life. Parents and trusted adults are encouraged to offer affirmations of worth to their children. Children, in turn, can offer affirmations to others.
She also suggests planning and conducting an Ambassador for Respect program – it could include essay and art contests, parent and youth workshops, and video contests – that models respect for everyone.
The Academy also provided the link for the Affirmation Game, an activity developed with the help of peer educators to enhance self-worth: https://www.nationaldayarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Academy-for-Adolescent-Health-Affirmations.pdf/.
The directions are simple: Print or open the cards. Shuffle them and select a card. Then, each person reads the affirmation on the cards and participants discuss.
Podgurski has developed seven youth-focused programs, including Peer Education, to empower youths to find their own worthiness, to improve their self-esteem and self-concept, and to respect and love themselves and their bodies.
She has conducted over 750 trainings locally, nationally and internationally to promote the message.
Podgurski is also the author of 36 books on youth development, including the 10-book Nonnie series, which are available on Amazon.
What parents and adults say matter, Podgurski said.
“It’s so easy to say the things that really hurt kids because we judge so quickly. But if we take the time to say something positive, it echoes and it ripples,” said Podgurski. “Don’t say anything that doesn’t uplift and help them their worth.”
To contact Podgurski, email her at podmj@healthyteens.com.