This spring, high school students from the Boothbay Region will have a unique opportunity to hear from inspiring people and build new skills through experiential activities. The Coulombe Center for Health Improvement will partner with the Boothbay Region YMCA in hosting a free series of afterschool programs specifically designed for high school students. The series will run for five weeks every Wednesday, 1:30 to 4 p.m. from April 27 to May 25 and will be open to all high school students in the region at no cost; members and non-members of the Y are welcome.

Each Wednesday the students will gather in the Youth and Teen space at the Y for a free, nutritious meal and social time from 1:30-2, students will then be given a choice of different sessions to attend from 2-4 based on their own interests. The sessions offered will change from week to week and will be run by local experts, businesses and community members.

This pilot program is a realization of an identified gap from the 2015 fall Coulombe Center retreat held at the Spruce Point Inn. Community members, and youth themselves, recognized that more could be done to bring youth in community together with adult mentors in the region. Specifically high school students were identified as needing life skills training, increase awareness of opportunities that are available to them and programing specific to their age group. Youth were engaged at both the fall retreat and follow up focus groups to provide their input to determine how this pilot would be developed- in terms of time, location and activity ideas.

There has been a fabulous response from community mentors and therefore there will be a wide range of presentations:

• The First National Bank in Boothbay will offer: Savings, investing and loans education
• Selina Reed, local artist, will lead guided watercolor and collage lessons.
• Scott Rittall, from the Community Garden project of BRCRC, will teach students about gardening and gardening planning, while also letting the teens get their hands dirty!
• Steve Berger, local resident and employee of Knickerbocker Group, will share his personal story of making the 2,000 mile journey on the Appalachian Trail with his son.
• Hunter DeGarmo, ultramarathon runner, will talk about why he runs and “16 things” he would tell his 16-year-old self.
• LincolnHealth Human Resources recruiting team with offer “dos and don’ts” of interviewing and resume writing for teens getting ready for the work force.
• Staff from the Boothbay Region Land Trust will educate teens on how to complete apple tree restoration and trail maintenance to give local Penny Lake Park new life before summer.
• Danielle Dicenzo and Kate Gustafson, AmeriCorps volunteer students serving at the Maine Hunger Initiative in Portland, will share their experience fighting hunger and poverty issues during their service year in Maine.
• Jonne Trees from Channel 7 BRTV will be seen at each week’s session, with film student volunteers, documenting the process with the hopes of a “showing” after the pilot wraps.

In addition, students will be able to earn incentives for attending the learning sessions such as iTunes, Subway, Red Cup gift cards, and other fun items!

To find out more about the WOW teen pilot program you may contact the Y at 633-2855, or Anni Pat McKenney at The Coulombe Center for Health Improvement: 633-1542 or annipat.mckenney@lchcare.org. The Coulombe Center is located on LincolnHealth’s St. Andrews campus and serves as a catalyst for action within the community by building relationships and working collaboratively with others to enhance assets in the region and fill gaps, as appropriate, linking people, organizations and resources.