You know when you learn about something for the first time, or have just been talking about something, and then you start to notice it everywhere? It feels like it didn’t exist before, but now that you know what it is, you see it everywhere- whether it is a type of bird, a specialty food, a make of a car, or a form of relationship abuse….
In her speech at the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey spoke of a future where no one would ever have to say #MeToo. With recent conversations about the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault through awareness campaigns like #MeToo, I feel there is a heightened awareness of the need to both teach and model respect in order to eradicate gender-based violence such as sexual assault and domestic…
In the midst of all the recent changes at REACH, we also added a new Youth Education Specialist to our staff! We wanted to introduce you to Molly Pistrang, who may soon be coming to a classroom near you to talk to teens about healthy relationships. Tell us a little about yourself. I grew up in a small town in Central Massachusetts called Princeton. After graduating…
by Janiah Every summer, REACH runs a training for peer leaders at Waltham High School as part of our teen dating violence prevention program. The training is taking place this week, and to tell you about it, we’re sharing this reflection written by one of our seniors after the 2016 training. This summer I attended my second year of summer training for PAVE (Peers Against ViolencE,…
This week’s guest blog post is from Janiah, one of the Peer Leaders in the PAVE (Peers Against ViolencE) club at Waltham High School. Hello, my name is Janiah Marrero and I am an officer in the PAVE (Peers Against ViolencE) club at Waltham High School. Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month is in February and our main focus is helping educate teens on this serious topic…
In my role as Youth Education Specialist at REACH, I have the opportunity to talk with young people every day about healthy and unhealthy relationships, teen dating violence, and what they can do when they notice red flags in a friend’s relationship. When I begin teaching a new class of students, I often share some about myself and how I got into this work as part…
For many of us, summer camp was an unforgettable part of our childhood. We made friends, learned new skills, and experienced different surroundings…all adding up to memories that last a lifetime. What you may not have realized, in between archery lessons and roasting s’mores, is that you were also building what mental health experts call “resiliency” – the quality that allows us to bounce back from…
Today we present the last in our series on talking to your kids about healthy relationships. This may be the most challenging group yet, kids ages 15-18! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our other posts on talking to kids ages 3-6, 7-10, and 11-14. We also have some suggestions for talking to young adults as they head off to college. With rapid…
This week, we present the third in our series of blogs on how to talk to your kids about relationships. Previously, we discussed ages 3-6 and 7-10. This week, we look at ways to engage kids ages 11-14. As kids navigate middle school and enter high school, the social and dating landscape changes. How can you help them be ready for the challenges they might face…
This week, we present the 2nd week in our series of tips on to talk to your kids about relationships. Last week we talked about kids who are 3-6 years old. Today we’re talking about kids ages 7-10. What’s the best way to impart good relationship skills to kids of this age as they move through elementary school and approach middle school? Read on for some…
