On Wednesday, Illawarra Sports High School chose to bring in motivational speaker and author Dannielle Miller to empower women at a most vulnerable age – adolescence.

Across the morning females from years 7, 8 and 9 learned how to make their own choices, keep safe, maturely deal with relationships and how to alter their vocabulary to be more positive.

The session was inspiring for three students who admitted they’re often not treated equally by boys their age and often treated as “objects”.

“We don’t have feelings to them … and it’s annoying,” said Erin Furlong, 14.

“Like in sport, when we’re playing something they won’t pass you the ball because they don’t think you’re going to join in or have any [skill].”

Emerson Dockett, 13, said boys often called girls trashy names thinking it’s a bit of fun, but motivational workshops like these gave them the confidence to stand up for themselves and tell a male it’s not okay.

“We often talk about progress of equality for women but ... if they don’t feel that they have value and worth then they’re not going to want to achieve be their best,” Ms Miller said.

“They need to see their somebodies not just bodies.”

International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women.

“One of the hardest things about high school is you think you’re doing everything alone … when in reality everyone else is facing that as well,” Erin said.