30 high-school-aged youth from many different towns around Windham County came together on September 3 and 4 to problem-solve, develop empathy and create positive connections within and across schools. Click "Read More" for more details and to see photos of the retreat.
A special guest was leader Julie Landreneau, of the Boys and Girls Club of St. Croix, who had met many of the group on their 2009 trip to Christiansted. The Youth Leadership Retreat was called “Make Your Mark,” and was made possible through a collaboration of youth-serving agencies and faith organizations in Windham County that together are seeking ways to promote the health development of young people (including Youth Services, the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro, Guilford Community Church, U.C.C., Vermont Independent Media, and New England Network for Child, Youth & Family Services).
Curtiss Reed Jr. of the Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity was involved in the planning, as well as a number of youth.
Through games, activities and brainstorming sessions, the retreat encouraged each student to become more aware of their own gifts, ways of creatively managing their challenges, and what they can do (in partnership with adults) to contribute to their school/community—in essence to become positive change agents!
Most of the participants were sophomores or juniors at BUHS and BFUHS, with representatives from Putney School, Deerfield Academy, and Compass School. Many are members of the Greater Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group with teens from Guilford Community Church, U.C.C., All Soul’s Unitarian Church, First Congregational Church in Dummerston, and St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Some are employed by Youth Services in Brattleboro and Bellows Falls as Peer Outreach workers. Some are members of Youth Services’ Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (Ramp). Four youth actors came from a New England Youth Theatre Improv group. Also present were members of the CLEA group (education about global issues affecting children, such as child labor) and the Gay Straight Alliance.
This article is adapted from a press kit written by Nanci Leitch.
For more information about the youth group, contact Lise Sparrow at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 802-257-2776.
Here are a few of the photos from the retreat.
