Staff Report

The United way Youth Team is gearing up to launch its annual fundraising events.
This year’s events include:

• Dinner Over Diamond – Sunday, Sept. 11, serving 4-7 p.m. at the LAHS Overpass. This unique dining experience takes place on the walkover bridge above Diamond Drive. Have dinner from a new perspective and watch the sunset over LA Mountain on this September evening. Cost is $20 for Adults, $10 for students and free for children 4 years old and under.
• Taste the Sky – Saturday, Sept. 24, serving 4-7 p.m. at the Los Alamos County Airport. Take a delicious journey around the world on the tarmac at the Los Alamos County Airport.
• High Tea on the Hill – Sunday, Oct. 9, serving 1-2:30 p.m. in the Los Alamos High School lobby. This event is a great chance for tea lovers in the community to get together and talk about all things tea! The entire United Way Youth Team has been planning it and is very excited to host this tea party. The admission for adults and children is $20 each. All of the profits made from this event will fund local youth programs throughout the community.
• Hamburger Night – Monday, Oct. 24 serving from 5:30-8 p.m. Place TBD Prices start at $15 for adults and $10 for students. It’s the community’s night to dine on juicy burgers.  Join us for the costume-filled community burger night.

The United Way Youth Team focuses on programs directed toward youth. During the last two years, the Youth Team fundraising efforts have been invested in behavioral health including, LinkCrew, a peer to peer mentoring program and the Youth Team has invested in training High School Staff on Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA.)
The 8-hour training takes place outside of school hours. YMHFA is designed to teach adults who regularly interact with youth how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addiction challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including AD/HD), and eating disorders. While the program is designed as a training program for participants, the nature of the curriculum is such that the entire community of Los Alamos, from its youngest to its oldest, stands to benefit from the greater ability of those trained to identity and act upon signs of a youth in crisis.
 
Anyone interested in attending upcoming trainings should contact Stacy Baker at JJAB, starrybaker@gmail.com.

The 2015 Youth Team is raising money for the Community Action Fund and for a new program that was introduced to Los Alamos High School called Link Crew. The Youth Team has created four unique dining experiences for the community to enjoy in the Fall.

To invest in youth programs and services through the United Way Youth Team, email info@unitedway.org.