Celebrate National Mentoring Month
Who mentored you? Thank them and pass it on…Mentor a child!
Check out information on national efforts to encourage more adults to mentor and find out about local organizations you can volunteer with at www.HelpEmpowerYouth.com.

Printed resource guide on youth activities in Windham County now available!

This guide is being distributed through schools and local organizations working with youth and families. If you would like a copy of this resource guide let me know.

January and February Events
Place your upcoming events for youth on our events calendar.

WCYC needs adult supporters
The Windham County Youth Council is creating its third Youth Summit for April 2006. While the youth are organizing the content of the Summit, we need adult supporters to help organize some of the event logistics including registration, transportation, food, etc. If you are willing to give of your time and talents in supporting this project please contact Julia@HelpEmpowerYouth.com ASAP.

TV/Screen reduction tool: Do More-Watch Less!
A great resource for after school programs and youth serving organizations…

The prevalence of adolescent obesity has dramatically increased in the last three decades. Among the most significant causes is the amount of time young people spend watching television, surging the Internet or playing video games.

Do More-Watch Less! is a toolkit for after school programs and youth serving organizations to encourage tweens (ages 10-14) to incorporate more “screen-free" activities into their lives while reducing the time they spend watching TV, surfing the internet, and playing video games.

Developed by the California Obesity Prevention Initiative, California Department of Health Services, the toolkit includes step-by-step instructions and handouts that guide tweens through hands-on activities. These activities include: tracking the time they typically spend in front of a screen; embarking on a challenge to go screen-free for up to a week; setting a goal to engage in no more than 2 hours of screen-based activities per day; celebrating their efforts to reduce their screen-time.

For more information:
Visit
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/cdic/copi/
or contact
Joanne Gooley MA, RD
Physical Activity Coordinator
California Obesity Prevention Initiative (COPI)
Department of Health Services
(916) 449-5294

The Voices Project
“ hearing kids' voices and listening to what they need in their lives”

This newly released DVD is based on the stage performance of The Voices Project, a major production musical featuring a broad cast of emotional characters, dance numbers and live music written and performed by area teens. "It's basically about everything Vermont teens have to say and what we go through," said Laracque, who plays a Vermont teen in the play.

Family, school, drugs, dating, health, sex, religion, peer pressure, diversity, media, politics and the world at large are explored through the Voices Project. Specific issues, such as rural vs. urban life, farming, class division and the similarities and differences of growing up in Vermont vs. the rest of the country are discussed.

To find out more and purchase your copy of the Voices Project go to http://www.bcbsvt.com/voices/

Online Survey for Girls
The Vermont Commission on Women and the Vermont Girl Scouts are partnering to survey young Vermont women in 6th through 12th grades about what issues are most important to them using a fun and quick on-line survey tool.

Survey topics include issues like body image, teen pregnancy, family and dating violence, and teen drinking in the everyday lives of girls. Advocacy and leadership participation and ideas are also included. There are also open-ended questions, such as "What would you like to tell a Vermont Senator or Representative about growing up in Vermont or about being a student in your school or town that they might not know?"

The goal of this survey is to empower young women and to get to know what's on their minds. Survey results will be presented to policy makers at the State House in 2006.

Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey or pass it on to someone that can.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=24514867183

For more information contact:
Lilly Talbert
Communications Coordinator
Vermont Commission on Women (
Pone: 802-828-2841 or 800-881-1561
Web site: www.women.state.vt.us

Mary Beth Pinard-Brace
Communications Director
Girl Scout Council of Vermont
Email: mpinardbrace@girlscoutsvt.org
Pone: 802-878-7131 X108

Craft Supplies
Stock up for holiday crafts. C&S has the fronts of holiday cards to donate to any youth serving organization interested in these supplies. For more information contact Gina Goff at GGOFF@cswg.com.

Calling all Babysitters
Do you want to earn a few extra dollars? Do you like taking care of young children? Contact me for a potential baby sitting opportunity.