Melinda Strike, Yerger Middle School teacher and Girls of Promise sponsor, introduced Rocio Martinez and Leslie Rodriguez before the Hope Public Schools Board Monday night in a report on the YMS Girls of Promise program. Martinez and Rodriguez recently returned from a two day Girls of Promise conference in Little Rock, where they and four other YMS coeds were among only 200 girls statewide chosen to attend. The girls reported to the board on the conference, which focused upon higher education, work ethic, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) career opportunities for women. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools\r\n