LJWorld.com

It's tough being a young woman today.

There are all kinds of pressures to struggle with -- such as the pressure to look a certain way (like a magazine covergirl), to be popular, to fit in.

And it doesn't make matters any easier that there's a lack of female role models out there to admire.

That's something that Lara Izokaitis -- a 1997 graduate of Kansas University, former Division I volleyball player and fashion model -- has a given a lot of thought.

"I've surveyed many people, and I ask them to contemplate and reflect on who are our female role models today. They pause, and then they say, for the most part, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton," Izokaitis says.

"Think about that. If those are the people who are role models for young women in our society, what are we saying to them?"

Izokaitis thinks young women -- specifically those in junior high and high school -- deserve a higher caliber of female role models.

Like Margaret Simien, mother of Wayne Simien, KU's senior basketball standout, the Big 12 Player of the Year and All-American.

Margaret will be the keynote speaker at the second annual "straightupbeautiful" conference Friday and Saturday at Morning Star Christian Church, 998 N. 1771 Road.

The event, aimed at girls in the Lawrence-area community who are in seventh- through 12th grades, is built around three major themes: beauty, dreams and relationships.

Through a two-day series of speakers, workshops and other activities, the conference is designed to provide girls with positive role models; engage them in discussions about how to pursue their dreams; teach them about where beauty really comes from; and help them learn how to build healthy relationships.

The event's co-coordinators are Izokaitis and Pam McDermott, who is married to the Rev. John McDermott, senior pastor of Morning Star.

Izokaitis is a member of Morning Star and is employed by Victory Campus Ministries, which has chapters at KU and Kansas State University. Pam pastors at Morning Star alongside her husband.

Wayne is a member of Morning Star and is a friend of Izokaitis and the McDermotts.

Bigger perspective

The first straightupbeautiful conference was last April at Morning Star, where it attracted about 70 girls to a one-day event led by Izokaitis and Genelle Frenoy, a New York City fashion model who has appeared in many national ad campaigns.

Margaret Simien, a Lawrence native and resident of Leavenworth, will be the highlight of this year's event.

She had to overcome adversity as a girl, coming from a poor background, coping with acne -- and being much taller than her peers.

"For these young ladies, the insecurity's on high volume right now, and they might not be able to see beyond these (teenage) years. Margaret's going to be a voice speaking hope toward the big picture," Izokaitis says.

"Those junior high and senior high school years are so, so difficult, and once you get past them, it's easier. You kind of see the world in a bigger perspective."

Meaning of true beauty

Aside from Margaret Simien's talk, a fashion show and music by a disc jockey, Izokaitis will be speaking about her own life at the conference.

She played volleyball for KU and, after graduating, spent two years in New York City working as a fashion model.

But she has also had her struggles.

"I will be speaking on beauty, and just talking about my experiences of growing up under the pressures of that and overcoming eating disorders," says Izokaitis, who now lives in Lawrence.

"I'm going to talk to the girls about what mirror are they looking at: the mirror of the world, or the mirror of God's word, and what he says about them."

The conference will be built upon a faith perspective, with the main principles, concepts and messages drawn from the Bible.

"What I found true beauty to be is the beauty of character, love, kindness, peace, joy and gentleness -- those kinds of attributes that come not because you wear a certain (dress) size," Izokaitis says.