Lights On for Families – Raising Teens in the Mat-Su
Contributed by Tyler Healy
Raising a teenager is a challenging and exciting task for all parents. Teens are exploring new experiences, new friendships, new challenges and changing social pressures. Parents are often left with spinning heads as they navigate the changing world of their children during this time of growth and exploration.
To support families of current and future teenagers in the Mat-Su, Youth 360 is hosting a Lights On for Families event, designed to provide information and knowledge to assist families in raising healthy, happy and supported teens. It will be held from 10 am-2 pm on Saturday, November 8th at Teeland Middle School. Featuring panel discussions, guest speakers, resource tables, and much more, the event will be an enlightening and enriching opportunity for families looking to set their youth up for success. Topics will include online safety, healthy social networks for teens, vaping, dating, bullying and much more. Families can attend for part or all of the event.
This event is not just for adults. Thrive Mat-Su will be bringing their popular youth program to the event to provide fun, supervised activities for kids age 5 and up. Middle and high school students can enjoy sports, music, art and more. There will also be a designated play area for elementary-age kids. Parents can engage in the workshops and connect with other families while their children join Thrive activities.
Youth 360 provides daily afterschool youth clubs for middle and high school students around the Mat-Su. This event is held as part of the national Lights On Afterschool movement, which highlights the benefits of participation in afterschool programs across the country. Afterschool programs keep kids safe, provide a critical support for working families, and support academic and social growth for young people.
Event partners include LINKS Parent Resource Center, Thrive Mat-Su, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska, Mat-Su Borough School District, and more.
To get involved in the event or for more information, call Youth 360 at 373-3613.