LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) -- Amidst the hustle and bustle of a Westport Middle schoolers' day, ten girls circle up in a classroom and reflect on who they are.
It’s part of a mentoring program called No Girl Lost, created by LMPD Officer Amber Ross, a single mother from Kentuckiana who grew up in the projects.
“I see her as more of like a big sister to me,” My’Asia Earsery, a student in the program at Westport Middle School, said.
Officer Ross is passing along her 'you can overcome attitude' to girls who need it most.
“She's kind of like my idol, right now,” said another No Girl Lost student, Carmella Yarbrough.
My'Asia and Carmella joined the program at the beginning of the semester.
“I used to catch an attitude very quick, like go zero to one hundred, really quick,” said Yarbrough.
Each girl deals with issues that middle schoolers shouldn't have to deal with.
“I had like a loss in my family around holiday time, and that's when my grades started to drop down,” said Earsery.
Officer Amber Ross jumped in to turn things around.
“These girls are so special and unique in their own individual way. They can do anything that they want in life,” said Officer Ross.
She meets with the girls once a week, but says she is there for them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“I can text her or call her anytime I want,” said Earsery.
The discussions give the girls confidence and strength to do what's right.
“She would tell me that I'm smart, she told everybody that they're smart,” said Yarbrough.
“Me getting in trouble a lot, I know that's not going to help anything,” said Earsery.
Earsery said she's back at a 4.0 GPA this semester, lost no more. Yarbrough said the group has helped her build better relationships at home. These differences are everything Officer Ross wants for these girls.
“It pushes me even harder to keep going for these girls to let them know that you will rise above that and we will rise above it together,” said Officer Ross.
Officer Ross also does individual sessions at Westport, and works with two other groups at Frost, as well. She’s currently working with other JCPS schools to add two additional groups.