How Realistic is College Access?

I know we're encouraging our students and our youth groups to attend college, but I hope we're preparing them for the reality of paying for their education. There was a CNBC special on, on December 21st that highlighted America's mounting debt crisis. If you have some downtime this holiday weekend, make sure you take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with what they're anticipating will be the 'next big bubble to burst.'

Disordered: Thy Name is Teenager

Everyone mark your calendars for Friday March 11th, because MN YIPA and the Mentoring Partnership of MN will be presenting a phenomenal afternoon (1:00-3:30pm) training on issues relating to, and impacting teenagers in America today. Disordered is a play that is written and performed by teens working with the Blank Slate Theatre. It is a mixture of spoken word with acting out monologues of various different characters who are coping with some of the common struggles faced by American teens. The cast will talk about various disorders such as depression, OCD, Anxiety, eating disorders, ODD and ADHD, as they pertain to their daily lives. We will have the honor of watching the play LIVE, and will follow it up with a brief Q&A session and discussion. This production aims to bring a perspective on teenagers that the media often ignores: that teens, like adults, suffer with mental disorders.

The location and cost of this performance are TBD, so please stay tuned for more information! For now, I'll leave you with the official trailer, which will hopefully entice you to consider joining us for this wonderfully unique opportunity.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ALL!

"Hear Us Out": Students Talk about the Realities of College Access

This is a great study conducted entirely by high school students about college access and success from the student point of view. An interesting read for anyone interested in student access to higher education. Kudos for the all work many of you already do on this important issue!