What is Reconnecting Youth (RY)?

Reconnecting Youth, RY, is a life-skills training program designed to help high-risk youth cope with daily stressors through the development of anger- management strategies and academic achievement.  The program is designed to affectively decrease disciplinary issues, increase academic performance, and decrease drug and/or alcohol usage.

By building on key assets that help develop positive, personal and social "self-image," internal motivation as well as interpersonal communication skills, the students are able to successfully accomplish the goals of the program.

The fun part for the youth is actively engaging in all the positive alternatives the RY classes participate in.  Our "Healthy Choice© projects get to the essence of what our program tries to accomplish.  These Healthy Choices help to build pro-social bonding skills, opportunities for learning enhancement and most of all a fun atmosphere to grow in and enjoy.

Currently, our Reconnecting Youth program is featured in Ticonderoga, Moriah, Elizabethtown, and Crown Point Central School Districts in Essex  County.  RY is facilitated in dozens of other schools/regions in NY State as well like in the Capital District, St. Lawrence County, NYC, Rochester and Buffalo areas, to name a few.  This is a Federally Approved Program (SAMHSA) that has grown from it's origins in a few inner city Seattle, WA schools, to being accepted by some states, such as Texas, as part of their state education core curriculum as an elective class.

What's the RY Conference?

RY is Reconnecting Youth, a class for senior high school students.  A group of randomly selected youth is asked to volunteer for a class that will help them develop life skills they can use everyday for the rest of their lives.  The class of typically between 6 and 10 students meets throughout the school year to learn these skills, plan pro-social events and field trips as well as look at ways to better their schools and communities.

Reconnecting Youth is a Personal Growth Class.  Students work on ways to better themselves academically and socially.  In the group, students are able to express their emotions and thoughts surrounding their everyday struggles.  The class uses a team approach to help each other cope with daily stresses and other issues that are directly affecting all realms of the students’ lives.  Through a foundation of trust, the class starts the process of building pro-social bonds.  Through the development of mutual respect students learn self-discipline. Knowing what to say, when to say it, and how.  The class helps to break down the emotional wall that youth tend to place around themselves thinking they are the only one that is going through the issues they are facing daily. 

                In summary, RY is a resiliency-based approach that delivers positive results and generates excitement for learning by all who participate, teachers and students alike.  It also serves as a tool for youth to connect with their schools, community, and most importantly family by helping them to develop life skills that enable them to make better decisions in their social and emotional functioning with society.

                The conference gives our RY participants a real world opportunity to practice leadership skills – an opportunity most of these students will never have in normal school environment.  They plan the conference, run workshops and activities, and actively participate in it.  RY students from other counties are usually invited – which expands the ‘learning lab’ for our students (these students pay for their room and board costs).  During the conference students will share ideas, experiences, and grow by using the same principles the students learned all year; just in a bigger arena.  Also, the conference is a great transition for interested RY recruits for the next academic year’s class.  They can actually see what it is like to “be in RY” before they join.

This year’s conference promises to be better than the last with more activities, more RY geared workshops, loads of fun souvenirs and best of all ….more people!