Through fencing, aikido and conversation, eighth-grade boys from across La Plata County on Thursday built a foundation for their high school years.
“Getting them up out of the chairs energizes them, and it’s always a good way to get the juices flowing and encourage them to participate,” said Michael Cahn of the nonprofit ManKind Project.
About 315 boys and 250 girls attended separate Keys to High School Success conferences at Fort Lewis College that are designed to teach them how to develop healthy relationships, advocate for themselves and maintain a positive self image. Durango School District 9-R, the Women’s Resource Center, the ManKind Project and the Sexual Assault Services Organization put on the event.
For Miller Middle School students, the event was the culmination of a 10-week program focused on preparing for high school. The expanded program split students into small groups of girls or boys and encouraged them to speak honestly and candidly about their emotions.
“The impact of that may not be felt immediately. We expect it may be felt at some point in time,” Cahn said.
The boys’ Keys to Success program is in its fourth year, and the girls’ conference, organized by the Women’s Resource Center, is in its 17th year.
The conference material is continually updated to ensure its relevance. For example, the girls talked about being cautious of what they post on social media and ending harassment on the internet, Women’s Resource Center Executive Director Christy Schaerer said.
“They come away from the conference having more self confidence,” she said.
The resource center would like to offer a similar program to all fifth-grade students in La Plata County to help them transition into middle school, she said.
This year, the nonprofit worked with fifth-graders from four District 9-R schools and Bayfield Elementary, she said.
For the first time this spring, the school district offered two workshops for the parents of preteens and young teens focused on helping them stay engaged with their children, even though the children may be withdrawing, said Julie Popp, spokeswoman with the district.
“It’s a way to engage a group that we haven’t engaged yet,” she said.
The district is also considering offering an orientation at the beginning of the school year for freshmen focused on the same Keys to High School Success principles to help refresh their memories, she said.
mshinn@ durangoherald.com
