Recent Headlines About Youth Engagement & Support
Fast Facts | Community Events | Recent Headlines
Do you have an article or publication you would like to direct our attention to? Let us know!
Mentoring group forms in Brattleboro
The Brattleboro Reformer reports that the Boys to Men Mentoring Network, "a national mentoring organization that encourages men to develop role model relationships with teenage boys, wants to start a New England chapter in Brattleboro." John Berkowitz, a Saxtons River resident who is trying to start the southern Vermont chapter, explained, "We are encouraging men to step forward and participate. We need men to help communicate the values and skills that help boys learn to be good communicators and learn honesty and directness." Men who participate in the program all receive background checks, and "upon completion of the training, are paired with a teenage boy. The mentors are encouraged to get together at least twice a month with the teenager for activities."
Brattleboro holds town meeting on racism
Vermont Public Radio reports that about 200 Brattleboro residents including teachers, police officers, community leaders and many members of the biracial community "turned out for a community forum on racism in Brattleboro, where the discovery of a racist group and the arrest of a teenager on hate crime charges has shaken people up." The event was designed to "gauge community sentiment on how the recent incidents had affected people, and what should be done about racism in the community." Attendees said "they were relieved to see the large turnout of support. But others said talking to like-minded people would not solve the problem."
VCF Staff
Students Fight Racism with Technology
The Rutland Herald reports that high schools students in Brattleboro are "using technology to keep a recent racist incident from igniting further problems." Last week the students "launched a text-messaging campaign to keep fellow students informed, and prevent misinformation and rumor from boiling over into violence." According to Curtiss Reed Jr., the executive director of ALANA, a local civil rights organization, and chairman of the Vermont State Advisory Committee on Civil Rights, "The kids are telling each other 'avoid, ignore, resist, [and] don't respond."
The campaign comes in response to recent racist incidents in Brattleboro, "which included the formation of an informal student club, whose very name includes a threat of violence and a racial epithet. Last week, a 17-year-old Guilford student was placed on house arrest after he was charged with two hate crimes, including aggravated stalking with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct, as well as two other alleged crimes." In addition, the Vernon Police are "investigating several racist signs left in town.
Shout It Out film examines lives of VT teenagers
Vermont Public Radio reports that a new film entitled Shout It Out: The Voices Project Movie examines the lives of Vermont teenagers. The film "is an adaptation of the 2006 stage musical, The Voices Project," and is based on interviews with more than 1000 Vermont teenagers. According to Shout It Out director and co-writer Bess O'Brien of Kingdom County Productions, the film is "uplifting, fun and inspiring but also deals with some real issues and some things in kids lives that really get to the core of what kids are dealing with on a daily basis." Shout it Out is commencing a state wide tour and show dates can be found at www.kingdomcounty.com.
Program to help at risk-youth, dropouts receives funding
The Bennington Banner reports that the Mount Anthony Union School Board unanimously approved $60,000 to be put toward the creation of a high school program aimed at helping at-risk teenagers stay in school. "The proposed program attempts to attract potential dropouts back to school by allowing them pursue career opportunities during the day and take classes in the early evening for a shorter, more intense period of time."
The concept for the program was approved in April. Since that time, "a 14-person committee, including representatives from industry, has met weekly to plan the program. Also, administrators are working to individualize the program to each student's needs.
The program will mostly put students in manufacturing jobs or other trades" and "will have strict guidelines." For example, "students will be required to wear uniforms and check in on a time-clock." Students will also have job coaches. Notably, "the district got the idea for the program a few years ago after visiting a similar program called, 'The Twilight Program,' at a high school in Hartford, Conn."
Students learn leadership at O'Brian youth forum
The Rutland Herald reports that 100 sophomores from across Vermont recently attended the Hugh O'Brian Leadership Conference, or HOBY conference, at St. Michael's College in Colchester. The conference "values volunteerism, excellence, organizational integrity, diversity, innovative thinking, community partnerships and lifelong learning leadership opportunities." Attendees participated in discussions, games, cheers, dancing, a service project and reflections." Conference-goers said that "after attending the conference they [felt] more motivated to succeed in school and will seek more opportunities to volunteer."