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Some People You Should Know: Polished Pebbles Participants

(CBS) -- It's an after-school program that's teaching important life skills.

It's called Polished Pebbles, and CBS 2's Harry Porterfield says its creator and the young women who participate are all people you should know.

These youngsters are being taught a lesson that could be an influence on the rest of their lives. The lesson: how to communicate for success.

It's a session of polished pebbles, a program created by Kelly Fair.

"We want girls to be good communicators at home, at school and also at their future work place. The research says girls' self-esteem takes a serious nose dive by 6th grade."

The students in the after school program are young women 7 to 17 most of whom are in elementary or middle school.

Polished Pebbles operates in 11 locations around Chicago, in schools, churches and in housing developments.

A partnership with the Oak Brook Microsoft store allows the girls an opportunity to visit and learn first-hand how it operates.

"They were an absolute pleasure to have in the store. Everybody looks forward to them visiting again," manager Jim Massey says.

Twelve-year-old Trinity Johnson has already learned a lot.

"I think it's a good idea for me to meet people and for me to communicate better," she says.

Says Fair, "Success for us is being able to have girls who enjoyed their experience and come back with us the next year."

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