Voices of Youth: Parents have no idea what teens go through

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, January 31, 2017

GRANITE FALLS — The students are asked to be raw and honest about their stories, and guests are urged to listen with open hearts.

Local teens plan to speak to the community about the issues they face that people often, intentionally or unintentionally, avoid. Topics include drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, mental health and suicide, homelessness, dropping out, violence in schools, bullying and harassment and sexual orientation and gender identity.

A panel presentation and question-and-answer session is the centerpiece of this year’s Voices of Youth, an event that started in Granite Falls about seven years ago, said Allyson Nelson, a success coordinator at Crossroads High School.

“Our overarching goal, I would say, is to educate community members and parents about what is going on in the lives of teens today and how some of these things could be prevented, what signs to watch for,” Nelson said. “A lot of the students talk about how their parents didn’t know what was going on.”

At least six students plan to be on the panel. Each brings a different personal story. They are ready to answer questions and Nelson encourages people to come prepared with what they want to know.

Voices of Youth is free and open to the public. It’s scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Crossroads High School, 205 N Alder Ave.

The event typically draws between 100 and 150 people. Students at Crossroads come from Granite Falls, Lake Stevens, Marysville and Snohomish, so the topics cover much of the county.

Many people have a misconception that high school students, particularly those in alternative schools, are up to no good, Nelson said. The students speaking at Voices have worked hard. They want to shake off stereotypes and make a difference in their community.

“They want to prevent other people from going through what they went through,” Nelson said. “Or they want people who are in that situation now to know that there is hope and they can come out on the other side of it. A lot of people judge students without really knowing what kind of battles they face outside of school.”

A resource fair is planned after the panel presentation so people can learn where to find help. Groups attending include the Granite Falls Family Resource Center, Cocoon House, Early Head Start and mental health professionals from a local counseling center.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.