Programs & Services For Youth & Families 2009 - 2010 School Year

 

• 40 Developmental Assets (Assets in Action)
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Issues
• Choices
• Chronic Tardy
• EYF for Boys
• Family Solutions
• Fifth Quarter
• Girls Circle
• Juntos (Joining & Understanding Now, Teens Overcome Separation)
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Keeping Homecoming & Prom Safe
• LAMS Get Togethers
• LifeSkills Training
• Natural Helper Training
• Parent to Parent
• Restorative Justice
• Support Group for Divorced Parents
• Teen Court
• Truancy
• Underage Drinking
• Youth Leadership Programs
• Youth Mobilizers

View the latest Los Alamos JJAB brochure...

 

 

Youth Leadership Programs 

Click here to download the 2009-2010 LAYL Application...

Message to Leadership Los Alamos Graduates and Alumni...

Fostering leadership skills for high school and middle school students.
Youth Leadership 08-09... 
LAYL 2007-2008... 
LAYL 2006-2007...

LAYL Sour Patch Kids (SPK) Team 2009 Adopt a Family Project.

 

 

JUNTOS -- Building better relationships with our neighbor, Española

 

 

Youth Mobilizers

 

The Youth Mobilizer program directly engages young people in meaningful ways in this community-change process. Three youth, ages 14-19, who live in Los Alamos, will receive an hourly wage based on their work and their own personal and professional development. They will be hired in August and work Monday thru Thursday from 3:30-5:30 pm. This program is in partnership with The Family YMCA.
Monitor article: January, 2009
At the end of 2008 the Youth Mobilizers conducted a survey and studied the buying habits of teens in Los Alamos.
See the Teen Spending Report...

 

CAG Dances

 

Since March 2006, Min and Monica Park and the staff at Central Avenue Grill have been partnering with Los Alamos Youth Leadership (LAYL) students to host chaperoned high school dances. The revenue generated from the dances is split between community initiatives selected by the Los Alamos Youth Leadership students and the community projects the students are working on. Past community recipients of funds have been:

• United Way
• Self Help
• Mexico Mission
• Senior Appreciation Night

The upcoming dances for 2007-2008:

• Friday, October 26 - Halloween Theme
• Saturday, January 26 - JUNTOS (Los Alamos and Espanola youth night)
• Friday, March 14 - St. Patrick's
• Friday, May 9 - Senior Discount

 

Fifth Quarter

After a home high school game, Griffith Gym will be open for two hours (until 11 P.M.) for youth and families to socialize, listen to music and just hang. Food and drinks are available. High school students and their families are encouraged to stay after home football games to enjoy "5th Quarter" activities. Music and snacks will be provided immediately following the Homecoming game until 11 p.m. Oct. 5 at Sullivan Field. More information...
Monitor article: September 26, 2007

 

Keeping Homecoming & Prom Safe

Keeping Homecoming & Prom Safe is a student requested program. Immediately following the Homecoming and Prom dances, four movie screens at Reel Deal are made available beginning at 12:45 a.m. After the dances, students can get a breakfast burrito and play games at Craig Hall at the United Church until 4:00 a.m. All events are free and chaperoned.
More Information...
Keeping Homecoming & Prom Safe flyer...
Click here to send us your feedback about the program...

 

 

 Girls Circle 

Girls Circle empowers girls ages 14 - 19 by providing them with a supportive environment to focus on improving decision making skills, self-esteem, and resiliency. More information...

 

 

Envision Your Future for Boys

 

 

 

LifeSkills Training

The LifeSkills Training High School program is a highly interactive, skills-based program designed to promote positive health and personal development for high school youth. This program helps adolescents navigate the challenges of the high school years, and prepares them for the independence and responsibilities that they will encounter as young adults. The program helps students achieve competency in the skills that have been found to reduce and prevent substance use and violence. The program is held in partnership with Los Alamos Family Council and is offered at no charge to participants. Each session is held for six weeks for one hour each week. Please contact Cheryl Pongratz at 662-3264 for further information and class schedule.

 

Parent to Parent

Are you concerned about teenage alcohol or drug use in Los Alamos? Are you worried about your teen's moodiness, and want to know what other families experience? Does your teen tell you "everybody else is allowed", but you aren't sure that is true? Parent-to-Parent is a forum for parents of teenagers to discuss issues they are facing and share strategies for dealing with common problems. Each monthly session will feature a speaker and discussions on topics such as alcohol and drug use, the role of police, the PRIDE survey, and other issues. This program has been requested by parents in the community needing assistance and is offered by the Family Strengths Network.   Program would include education, evaluation of the family, and strategies for dealing with difficult youth. More information...

 

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Issues 

This is a self-referral program available for teens and their parents.  Prevention services for youth and their parents on alcohol and substance abuse issues that is conducted by Los Alamos Family Council.  Participants must meet with a counselor and complete an assessment of mental health (stress, depression, etc.) and substance abuse.  They must also attend a Saturday program and complete 10 hours of community service.  Program shall include education on legal and medical aspects of alcohol and drug use, and strategies for avoiding further involvement with drugs or alcohol.  Families shall be provided with an assessment and a written recommendation addressing both the needs of the family and the youth, as well as a post 90-day program follow-up. All information is kept confidential.

Juvenile Delinquency

Intervention services for youth and their parents on delinquency issues (theft, battery, etc.) that is conducted by Corazon.  Participants must meet with a counselor and complete an assessment of mental health (stress, depression, etc.) and substance abuse.  They must also attend with their parents a ½ day Saturday program and complete 10 hours of community service.  Program shall include education on legal and medical aspects of alcohol and drug use, and strategies for avoiding further involvement with drugs or alcohol.  Families shall be provided with an assessment and a written recommendation addressing both the needs of the family and the youth. All information is kept confidential.

Natural Helper Training

This prevention program trains high school students in suicide and substance abuse prevention and builds mentoring skills.
High school students nominate their peers for this program. Diane Toups, High School Counselor, manages. Contact: 663-2510, d.toups@laschools.net.

 

Rock The Top Activities Directory

Connecting youth to work, recreation & volunteer opportunities in Los Alamos. The Rock The Top Resource guide is available on the web at www.rockthetop.net. It provides teens and their parents with advice about planning for having a great experience through the year, a calendar of events and activities geared toward teens, and information and contacts for employment and volunteer opportunities.

(Photo: Louise Williams from New Mexico Workforce Connection discusses the virtual one-stop system for connecting with youth in our community.)

View the RockTheTop.net banner...

 

Underage Drinking

Since the Underage Drinking Town Hall held last March, the DWI Council and citizen committees have been working on many of the suggestions from the Town Hall.  Much more work still needs to be accomplished. 

• Current DWI Programs Targeted Towards Youth
• Underage Drinking Town Hall Photo Gallery
• Underage Drinking Town Hall Break-out Committee Reports
• Drug Testing Meeting Minutes (September 28)
• Drug Testing Meeting Minutes (November 9)
• Drug Testing Meeting Minutes (December 11)
• Town Hall Drinking Followup
• Underage Drinking and Substance Abuse Town Hall Meeting Videos
• Monitor article: July 18, 2007

If you are interested in helping, please contact the DWI Coordinator, David Sims, at 662-8265 or david.sims@lacnm.us.

 

Family Solutions

This program is for parents and teens to take together. Join us if your family is dealing with school failure, negative peer involvement, court involvement, feelings of hopelessness, or just wants tips on handling teens’ changing needs and challenges. More information...

 

40 Developmental Assets (Assets in Action)

 

The 40 Developmental Assets are 40 common sense experiences and qualities which are highly important to raising children, especially adolescents. They include things such as family support, communication, and creative activities. More information...
The Assets in Action program of the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce uses the Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets approach in a project to educate and engage the community around the common goal of building, “Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth”.
The Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets are concrete, common sense, positive experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people. These assets have the power during critical adolescent years to influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults.
Click Here to register to receive free weekly emails containing tools and tips for developing Assets for all ages.
Email Bernadette Lauritzen at Bernadette@losalamos.org if you have any difficulty signing up.
www.assetsinaction.info

 

LAMS Get Togethers

 

Here are the results from our get togethers with the 7th and 8th graders:

• Survey...
• 7th grade Results... (October 23, 2007)
• 8th grade Results... (November 13, 2007)

Students completed the survey and were given a slice of pizza. They also had the opportunity to visit with community representatives.

 

Support Group for Divorced Parents

 

This group is for men and women who are coping with issues of parenting after divorce. It will start out as a support group but may evolve into a more educational program if attendees wish. Facilitator Jennifer Neil is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and has been the school counselor at Mountain Elementary School for two years. She worked as a psychotherapist for many years, and was the long-time director of Casa Mesita Group Home. She has extensive experience working with adults and children affected by divorce. This free group will be held the second Tuesday of each month, from February 12 to June 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at Family Strengths Network in the Pueblo Complex. Child care is available on-site, but must be requested at least a week before class - no charge. Please call FSN to register: 662-4515. This program is funded by the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.

 

Choices

 

Parents and Teens -- spend a Saturday morning talking about choices and decision making in a small group of other parents, teens and an excellent facilitator. It will make a difference!

 

 

Intervention Programs

 

 

 

Teen Court

 

Teen Court is a nationally recognized program for alternative sentencing of juvenile first or second time offenders. This is a voluntary program, where teens who accept responsibility for their low-level infractions or misdemeanor crimes are sentenced by a jury of their peers.  Teen Court accepts youth defendants that are 12 to 18 years old. More information...

 

Restorative Justice

An alternative to the traditional justice system.  The program gives the victim and the community a voice in holding offenders accountable for their actions.  The Community Health Council provides the program through Family Council.  Referrals for the program are through the Juvenile Probation Officer. All information is kept confidential.

 

Chronic Tardy

Chronic Tardy.  This program is for youth and their parents who are chronically tardy (coming late to school and/or leaving early).  Family Council provides a program for youth and their parents to attend that involves the importance of education and need to be on time for school. Attendance is also reviewed in accordance to School Board policy 5110R.  Referrals to the program are made by the schools. 

Truancy

Participants must meet with a counselor and complete an assessment of mental health (stress, depression, etc.) and substance abuse.  They must also attend with their parents a day Saturday program that highlights that importance of education and complete 10 hours of community service.  Families shall be provided with an assessment and a written recommendation addressing both the needs of the family and the youth, as well as a post 90-day program follow-up.  Referrals are made through the Schools and the JPO is in support of the program.
Referral Process for First Time Offenders...
Referral Process for Second Time Offenders...

 

 Girls Circle 

Girls Circle empowers girls ages 14 - 19 by providing them with a supportive environment to focus on improving decision making skills, self-esteem, and resiliency. More information...