Hello everyone!

Hope your summer is going great and you are enjoying the warm weather!

I know it’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me about the advisory committee, so here’s a very brief update.

The Dragon Youth Project currently has no groups going on.  Reconnecting Youth at La Plata Youth Services is expected to start up again later on in the summer, and I am currently working on getting a summer Girls Circle group together.

If you know any girls, ages 12-16, who may be interested in participating in a Girls Circle this summer, please let me know!!

The Dragon Youth Project is also currently working on including more teen pregnancy prevention efforts into the program.  Details on this to come!

I would like to have an advisory meeting later this summer – late July or early August – so if there are any times or dates that would work best for you, or will not work for you, please let me know!

Thanks so much for being a part of the committee!

In attendance: Jennifer Doherty, Women’s Resource Center; Tracy Bedard, M.O.R.; Darlene Clayton, Alternative Horizons; Sheree Volrab, San Juan Basin Health Dept Tobacco Prevention and 9R liaison; Kendra Gallegos Reichle, DRAGON Youth Project.Committee members introduced themselves to each other and Kendra talked about the possibility of Wendy Lucero taking Harlene’s place on the committee.   Kendra discussed the current projects of the DRAGON Youth Project including Reconnecting Youth and the Girls Circles that are taking place.  Reconnecting Youth is going on at La Plata Youth Services and started on October 4^th.  The Girls Circle at Bayfield High has resumed with some new members.  The after school Girls Circle at Durango Joe’s through the M.O.R. program has been going on as well.  Kendra is waiting for a response about the Bayfield Elementary group and has not heard back from Amy from the Durango Children’s Museum. Kendra explained that the Fort Lewis College social norms campaign has not resumed, and discussed some of the pitfalls from last year.  Sheree mentioned an AmeriCorp scholarship that is available for those working with the La Plata Youth, Children and Family Master Plan that may contribute to this effort.   Kendra talked about the new project being funded by the Colorado Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Parenting & Prevention for training and technical assistance.  She also mentioned that any grant writing opportunities that come up in terms of unintended pregnancy prevention for adolescent girls (which is one of the directions the DRAGON Youth Project is taking) to let her know. The meeting was adjourned around 5:00pm. 

RECONNECTING YOUTH 

This school year the DRAGON Youth Project has made a lot of really great changes!

Unfortunately, I will no longer be working with DeNier to provide a Reconnecting Youth group due to a curriculum change.  They will now be providing curriculum directly from the Rite of Passage program. 

However, I am happy to say that in this program’s place I will be co-facilitating a Reconnecting Youth group for truancy kids at Durango High School in collaboration with La Plata Youth Services, starting October 4th!  There is also a possibility of a Reconnecting Youth group for Ignacio High School truancy kids as well.

GIRLS CIRCLE

Once again I will be facilitating a Girls Circle at Bayfield High School this school year!  I will have 6 girls returning from last year’s group, with additional girls being invited by recommendation of teachers. 

I have started a Girls (& Boy) Circle at Durango High School during Mr. Greg Loheit’s Advisory period on Thursday mornings.  There is one boy and 5 girls.  Mr. Loheit will be co-facilitating, and this will be a much less structured group, so it will be interesting to see where this one goes…

I am meeting with the Bayfield Elementary school counselor and the Bayfield Family Center coordinator (Kaylie Anderson) next week to discuss an after school Girls Circle for 5th and 6th grade girls.  I am anxious to work with this age group, so stay tuned to see what happens!

Tracy & I have been talking about an after school Girls Circle for high school girls (mainly in her program) held at Durango Joe’s.  Durango Joe’s has a community room available at no cost for non-profit organizations, so we thought it might be a fun place for the girls to meet.  We are in the early stages of planning this one as well.

Lastly, I have sent an email to Amy deProspo with the Children’s Museum of Durango about having another after school Girls Circle for younger girls, possibly around ages 9 and 10.  With the fact that I have so many other groups starting now, I am hoping to get this one started later on in the winter or possibly even in the spring.

So, as you can see a lot is going on with the DRAGON Youth Project!  On top of that, I am writing my M.S. in counseling thesis and doing pre-practicum training at the Fort Lewis College counseling center.  So, any volunteers you all hear of would be exceptionally beneficial to me at this point in time!

Thanks for everything!

It’s been awhile, but there is a lot going on with the DRAGON Youth Project, and I would love to get the advisory committee together for suggestions, ideas, and other input (considering that this is a one WOman show!)  I am looking at Tuesday October 9th at 4pm.  Does that work for all of you?  Please get back to me!

 Thanks so much!

In attendance:  Harlene Russell-Spratlen, La Plata Youth Services; Jennifer Doherty, Women’s Resource Center; Tracy Bedard, M.O.R.; Kendra Gallegos Reichle, DRAGON Youth Project.

Kendra gave some updates about Reconnecting Youth at DeNier, and discussed with Harlene the possibility of offering Reconnecting Youth to truancy kids from Durango, and possibly, Ignacio through La Plata Youth Services.   

Kendra discussed the completion of the pilot Girls Circle at Bayfield High School and talked about the upcoming possibilities for this summer and the fall.  She introduced the idea of having a Girls Circle for the general public at Durango Joe’s.  Tracy replied that she has some girls in mind that may benefit from Girls Circle and they agreed to keep in contact about this.  Jenn suggested contacting support groups for parents of troubled teens as a reference.  Kendra also introduced the Girls Circle possibilities for the fall, including Durango High, the Durango Children’s Museum, Bayfield High School and Escalante Middle School.   

Kendra let everyone know that she will have an intern on Mondays and Tuesdays starting in the fall, Robin Ruddy, who will be available to help out in the advisory committee members’ organizations as well.  Harlene mentioned that La Plata Youth Services and M.O.R always need advocates. 

Kendra requested that anyone who hears about upcoming events involving substance abuse, prevention, and/or alcohol awareness should let her know.  She also discussed the possibility of working with 4 Corners Riversports next year for the Animas River Days after party, and putting up ID signs at local liquor stores. 

The meeting was adjourned around 5:00pm.

Our DRAGON Youth Project Advisory Committee meeting will be held tomorrow at 4pm in El Escondido conference room at San Juan Basin Health Department.

If you are unfamiliar with the building, please ask the front desk staff for directions.

Snacks and beverages will be provided.  Hope to see you there!!!

Tuesday May 8th at 4:00pm in El Escondido conference room at San Juan Basin Health Department. 

Please ask the lady at the front desk if you are unfamiliar with the building.

 I’ll bring the snacks, hope to see you there!

I am having a very difficult time getting the Girls Circle at Durango High School going.  I have met with Sarah St. John, school counselor, and Esther Belin, Native American Culture & Support teacher, on several occasions to speak about this group.  I have also met with the group itself three times, with most of the group only showing up twice.  The girls have not been bringing back their permission slips, and since I do not see them every day, I can not remind them. 

 Do you have any suggestions about motivating the faculty involved, as well as the students to get past the permission slips/initial steps to get this thing going?

Do you have any other suggestions about programs within Durango High School that might be able to work with a Girls Circle instead?

 Let me know, I need your input!

Thanks,

Kendra

…will be in May.  Any ideas as far as days and times?

Hello everyone!  I hope this finds you well and enjoying the warm weather!  I just got back from my honeymoon in the Caribbean, so this warm weather has helped me adjust a little bit better!  Since I’ve been back, I have a couple of big projects I want to work on that are approaching very quickly. 

1.  I sent out an email about ideas for my Bayfield Girls Circle field trip.  Harlene (Dave) and Jenn sent me some great ideas…so thanks so much!  If anyone else has any ideas they would like to add, including a community service piece, let me know!

2.  I received an email from ADAD today telling me about National Alcohol Screening Day on April 5th.  I participated in this through Fort Lewis when I was a student there, and I think it is a wonderful idea!  While conducting online screenings is an option, I would like to hear your input on where a good location in our community would be (besides the college) to conduct this alcohol screening.  I would also need some volunteers to help with the screening. 

The screening does not need to take place on April 5th, though since April is Alcohol Awareness Month I’d prefer to do it some time next month.

Check out http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/nasd/index.aspx for more info.

What do you think?  Let me know!

 Thanks,

Kendra