A Happy Halloween!

We had a great time celebrating and helping out during the Town of Wolfeboro Trick-or-Treat.  We obtained permission to set up a KYC tent a Clark Park.  We set up on Trick or Treat night and offered candy, cake, and hot chocolate to Trick or Treaters.  After serving others we spent a little bit of time trick or treating ourselves.  It was wonderful seeing so many children and families out enjoying this fun tradition.  Our students were excellent youth leaders and Zachary did some

juggling to wow the crowds.  We were really pleased that the weather wasn’t as bad as we feared!  We hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!

Project Linus-Help’n Hope House

Throughout the month of October, the KYC has been busy working on ‘Project Linus.’  Through this important service project, the KYC will create 15-20 tied fleece blankets to donate to Hope House in Wolfeboro.  Hope House is Families in Transition’s local facility, which offeres temporary and emergency housing to families in the Governor Wentworth Regional School District.  Hope House opened in June 2018.  The facility can house up to seven families who are between homes.  We are so pleased that Hope House is available as a resource for local families.  We are thrilled to offer a small contribution to Hope House’s mission by participating in Project Linus.  The blankets will be made available to families at Hope House as the weather becomes cooler.  We are about half way to our goal of 15-20 blankets.  Nice work KYC!

Send a Message. Stay Drug Free.

Red Ribbon Week 2019 started last Wednesday.  Red Ribbon Week is a national substance misuse prevention campaign that uses a red ribbon as a reminder of the dangers of substances and the importance of making good choices.  The tradition began in 1985 following the brutal murder of Enrique Camarena, a drug enforcement agent.

Each year, the KYC uses Red Ribbon Week as another opportunity to help teens stay drug free.  The KYC’s tradition is to create a red ribbon visual that reflects the annual campaign slogan and our students’ reasons for choosing to be drug free.  This year’s slogan is: “Send a Message.  Stay Drug Free.”

The Kingswood Spook Center!

Last night we hosted The Kingswood Spook Center!  The Spook Center is a fun Halloween Party for younger kids.  Our high school and middle school students are in charge of leading games for the younger ones.  The fun last night included: face painting, photo booth, apple bowling, apple stacking, pin the nose on the pumpkin, home-made bird feeders, orange (the fruit) jack-o-lanterns,  apple bowling, donut on spring, toss the bean bag in the ghost’s mouth, cupcake decorating, and a coloring contest!

Many younger kids and families came in costume for this fun event.  Our teen leaders did a great job hosting the party.  Nice work KYC!

Celebration of 10 Years on Center Street

The beautiful facility on Center Street, which you have come to know as “the KYC,” just turned 10!  Community members are often surprised when we remind them that the KYC first opened its doors 10 years ago in October 2009.  Last Wednesday we celebrated this important milestone.  Our event was well attended, with diverse groups of community members joining us to celebrate our success in our current home.  KYC members delighted an audience with a presentation about the history of the KYC.  Zachary agreed to be the narrator and students took responsibility for various theatrics.  We think we made a great impression and put on a good show!  Nice work team!  Thank you to all community members who joined us for the fun!  An even bigger thank you to EVERYONE who has supported the KYC over the past decade!

Working Hard! Aniversary Celebration, Red Ribbon Week, Kingswood Spook Center

We had a great day yesterday!

One group of students worked on decorations for “The Kingswood Spook Center.”  The Kingswood Spook Center is a Halloween event at which our teens host games for younger kids.  Thanks KYCers for putting your heads together to get the games ready.  We’re all pumped for a fun night!

Another group made brownies for the 10th anniversary of our building celebration.  We can’t wait to host community guests this evening from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.  Hope to see you there!

Another group worked on our Red Ribbon Week poster.  Red Ribbon Week is a national campaign that helps students choose to stay drug free.  Its become a tradition at the KYC to create a poster which reflects the national campaign slogan, as well as our students reasons for choosing to be drug free.  This year’s slogan is: “Send a Message.  Stay Drug Free!”  Keeping with the theme, we made a poster shaped like a giant envelope.

Thanks KYCers for all your hard work!  What a fun month ahead!

Throwback Thursday!

Last night we had a campfire in our BTAS! programs.  Here’s an old photo from a past year campfire.  Always a fun time with friends.  We’ll offer BTAS! programs each Wednesday evening.

Visit From Pittsfield Youth Workshop

We’ve become fast friends with the youth, staff, and volunteers with Pittsfield Youth Workshop (PYW) in Pittsfield, NH.  KYCand PYW staff have spent some time meeting and learning about one-another’s programs!  In July, the two groups collaborated and enjoyed a great hike to Pine Mountain in Alton!  Yesterday, PYW made the trip down and enjoyed an afternoon at the KYC!  We played “The Best Game.”  Groups of students were challenged to ‘send the best candidate to complete a challenge on behalf of or otherwise represent the team.  Examples: tallest, random trivia, cornhole, etc.  After the game we shared treats and got to know got to know one another.  Thanks PYW for coming up for a fun afternoon.

Transitions are Wonderful

Transitions are wonderful. On this school year’s first day in the after school program, our resident scientist and Monday Program Volunteer Shelly brought in two monarch butterfly chrysalises. Two days later, on Wednesday, a ninth-grader eagerly sought my attention. The transformation was complete! A beautiful monarch butterfly had emerged from one of the cocoons. A group of us took our new friend outside and watched in awe as the creature tested its wings. Heavy and clumsy at first, but a master of flight within minutes. Transitions are wonderful.

A fabulous summer ended just two day ago. The leaves are changing. The days are shorter. Students are back to school. The KYC staff has seen several changes. I am wrapping up my third month as the KYC’s Interim Executive Director. Pam Sweeney has settled into her new role as Development Director. We are thrilled to have welcomed Sue Valenti as our new Program Facilitator. Our Teen Director, Mara Michno is nearing the end of a parenting leave and we look forward to welcoming her back. Transitions are wonderful.

Do you remember your seventh grade locker combination? I do. It was 32-18-8. Why do I remember that all these years later? It’s because I must have repeated, “32-18-8,” in my head about 5,000 times on that first day of seventh grade. A forgotten locker combo was just one of countless fears accompanying the transition from familiar New Durham Elementary School to the vastness of Kingswood Regional Middle School. I did okay. I was so good at remembering my combo that I still remember it almost 20 years later! Another step in growing up. Transitions are wonderful.

Two years later, just as I was getting truly comfortable at KRMS, it was already time for another transition. When does it end? It doesn’t. Transitions are wonderful. Hard, but wonderful.

High school and middle schoolers are amidst many great transitions. They are yesterday’s children becoming tomorrow’s young adults. Emotional and physical changes mark this important transition in their lives. All adolescents need the support of an entire community as they navigate this great transition. The KYC exists to provide an important piece of that vital support. We offer our community’s teens a safe place to grow, learn, and engage positively with their peers. Students set goals and plan for their futures. We teach important life skills which foster independence. Substance misuse prevention is vital during this time of transition. New passions and interests are discovered and new friendships are forged. Transitions are wonderful.

The KYC supports our transitioning teens through several important programs. We just wrapped up a wonderful summer filled with weekly full-day programs. Our after-school program is now open each Monday through Thursday. BTAS! (Beyond the After School) programs are offered in the evening, during school vacations, and at other times when school is not in session. In January, the KYC launched a brand new individual mentoring program called Club 121! Club 121 consists of one-to-one (get it? 121!) mentoring services offered at Kingswood Regional Middle School by KYC staff members. We are very excited to continue these vital services and watch them grow. Transitions are wonderful.

Volunteering at the Food Pantry Garden

One day afterschool, a group of us buckled down and completed an important community service project.  Students met the KYC bus right when school got out and took a ride to the local Food Pantry Garden, right here in Wolfeboro!  We met our volunteer Shelly McGee, who is also a key volunteer at the Food Pantry garden.  Shelly led the group in constructing compost bins.  We used wooden pallets to create the three compartments needed for the composting process.  Thank you Shelly for this fun and valuable opportunity.   Nice work KYCers!