Mary Nelson started organizing the Back-to-School Barbeque in 2002 as part of an effort to reduce violence in her neighborhood, the South side of Syracuse. Each year she has passed out free backpacks with school supplies in growing numbers and now hosts a community barbeque.
This year she partnered with Real Life. Real Talk.
RLRT Community Partners attended the event and passed out 4,000 reusable shopping bags with our logo and website on them to all the parents while they stood in line for the backpacks.
The bags included a simple fact sheet about the campaign, sticky notes w 5 tips for parents on them about communication, and info about some of our key partners.
Over 100 parents signed up for parent programs to be held at The Mary Nelson Youth Center this fall.
Healthy Teen Relationships- teen dating as it relates to the Twilight series
Hosted in partnership with Creekside Books & Coffee and DeWitt & Baldwinsville Community Library
Engages mothers and daughters in a conversation about the relationships in this novel/movie series
Facilitated by Crystal Collette, RLRT Manager and Jennifer Shaw, Vera House
Total of 47 parents and teens have attended
Teen Technology Fair
DeWitt Community Library
RLRT teen volunteers provided adults and other teens with live tours of how they use social networking sites like facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, their cell phones, youtube, and ipods
Parents experienced how teens use technology, learned how to set privacy settings online, and shared tips with each other about communicating about technology use with their own children
Events from October 2009
Shelby Knox with teens at the event.
Approximately 50 adults and teens came together on October 8, 2009 to think about the state of comprehensive sexuality education in our community. Shelby Knox joined Real Life. Real Talk. and the Teen AIDS Task Force to update us on what has happened in her own life and the lives of teens since she was the feature of the documentary- The Education of Shelby Knox. The audience was energized by the film and eager to join Real Life. Real Talk. in advocating for youth to have a voice in sexuality education in our community.
Talking with Kids & Teens About Sexual Health in the Age of the Internet
with Award-winning Children’s Author, Robie Harris
Robie Harris joined Real Life. Real Talk. on October 15, 2009 at the DeWitt Community Library along with approximately 15 parents and caregivers to share her journey of authoring a series of award winning children’s books on sexual health. She shared her perspective on the importance of open, honest, and age-appropriate communication with children and teens. Although the group was small, the dialogue was rich. We are thankful to our partner Creekside Books & Coffee who sold Robie’s books at the event.
On Sunday October 18, 2009 Scott Fried connected with a small group of local teens and explored their hidden world. Scott shared the story of his own risky behavior and HIV infection when he was younger and how his journey has led him to share in the lives of more than a million others as they try and make peace with life’s demanding circumstances.
Hearing Our Children: The Parent Talk with Scott Fried
The next evening Scott held a very moving and important conversation for approximately 20 parents and caregivers. Through detailed personal accounts of teens from around the world, the talk revealed secrets most teens would like to keep from their parents. Using himself as Exhibit A, Scott shared the difficult story of his painful disclosures to his own family. Additionally, this talk offered specific ideas and techniques on parenting a teenager through this difficult time of adolescent angst and their burgeoning experiences as the newest members of the sexual community.
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Events
The Mary Nelson Youth Day Barbeque Partnership
Mary Nelson started organizing the Back-to-School Barbeque in 2002 as part of an effort to reduce violence in her neighborhood, the South side of Syracuse. Each year she has passed out free backpacks with school supplies in growing numbers and now hosts a community barbeque.
This year she partnered with Real Life. Real Talk.
left, Tamica Barnett, RLRT Parent Outreach Specialist right, RLRT volunteers
Healthy Teen Relationships- teen dating as it relates to the Twilight series
Hosted in partnership with Creekside Books & Coffee and DeWitt & Baldwinsville Community Library
Teen Technology Fair
DeWitt Community Library
RLRT teen volunteers provided adults and other teens with live tours of how they use social networking sites like facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, their cell phones, youtube, and ipods
Parents experienced how teens use technology, learned how to set privacy settings online, and shared tips with each other about communicating about technology use with their own children
Events from October 2009
Approximately 50 adults and teens came together on October 8, 2009 to think about the state of comprehensive sexuality education in our community. Shelby Knox joined Real Life. Real Talk. and the Teen AIDS Task Force to update us on what has happened in her own life and the lives of teens since she was the feature of the documentary- The Education of Shelby Knox. The audience was energized by the film and eager to join Real Life. Real Talk. in advocating for youth to have a voice in sexuality education in our community.
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Talking with Kids & Teens About Sexual Health in the Age of the Internet
with Award-winning Children’s Author, Robie Harris
Robie Harris joined Real Life. Real Talk. on October 15, 2009 at the DeWitt Community Library along with approximately 15 parents and caregivers to share her journey of authoring a series of award winning children’s books on sexual health. She shared her perspective on the importance of open, honest, and age-appropriate communication with children and teens. Although the group was small, the dialogue was rich. We are thankful to our partner Creekside Books & Coffee who sold Robie’s books at the event.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
AIDS, Love & Staying Alive with Scott Fried hosted by the The Jewish Community Center of Syracuse
On Sunday October 18, 2009 Scott Fried connected with a small group of local teens and explored their hidden world. Scott shared the story of his own risky behavior and HIV infection when he was younger and how his journey has led him to share in the lives of more than a million others as they try and make peace with life’s demanding circumstances.
Hearing Our Children: The Parent Talk with Scott Fried
The next evening Scott held a very moving and important conversation for approximately 20 parents and caregivers. Through detailed personal accounts of teens from around the world, the talk revealed secrets most teens would like to keep from their parents. Using himself as Exhibit A, Scott shared the difficult story of his painful disclosures to his own family. Additionally, this talk offered specific ideas and techniques on parenting a teenager through this difficult time of adolescent angst and their burgeoning experiences as the newest members of the sexual community.