Have you ever really paused to think about why Duxbury needs a youth center? I am reminded of it's importance daily.

As students enter middle school, they're faced with abrupt independence, mounting academic and social responsibility and the pressures to fit in.  Even as early as 3rd grade, kids are facing stress, anxiety, and risks more than ever. 

At DSU we see it every day:

• The 3rd grader trying to identify with that one best friend at the expense of other friendships,
• The 4th grader managing the iPhone he got for Christmas, now facing unexpected challenges with facebook and instagram accounts
• The 5th grade student relieved to have been assigned the oboe as his instrument because his parents said there are lots of college scholarships for oboe players
• The 6th grade girl overwhelmed by the volume of homework, a complicated schedule and pursuit of perfection 
• The 7th grader feeling inadequate because he can't keep up in pre-algebra 
• The 8th grader looking for reassurance from friends on facebook that they think she is pretty.

The pressures continue to mount as students enter high school and are faced with college prep, sexuality, dating, you name it.  Our kids are stressed and anxious, now compounded with an uptick in school violence, revised security processes, bullying, technology pitfalls, the list is endless.
 
How can DSU develop and inspire healthy and happy kids? To start, we provide a safe, supervised after school program where kids have the opportunity to blow off steam from the day, whether that means chasing a ball on our playing field, jumping rope, downloading the day's events with a youth counselor or peer.  The pick up games where no one keeps score, no criticism from the sidelines.  Allowing kids to make mistakes, take healthy risks, and learn from trial and error. We offer help with academics, whether its a youth counselor sitting down to work out how to start an essay or a National Honor Society volunteer helping to clarify a math concept, or a friend sharing his take on that day's assignment.

Of course there are the special events - the dances with themes and details designed by kids, for kids but with added structure, supervision, guidelines from appropriate dress to respectful interaction between males and females. 

Best of all, our mission events designed to cultivate innate talents, to teach compassion and respect for others, and to connect youth with community service opportunities - like our lunch on the lawn events for Middle School students who would otherwise have no midday recess. Our focus on girls empowerment and introducing community leaders like Razia Jan and exposure to worldly issues, inspiring giving through helping Duxbury Interfaith Council, giving Halloween candy to troops overseas, to name only a few of our recent initiatives.
 
So, does Duxbury need a youth center?  Absolutely yes, now more than ever.  I urge you to send in a donation to our annual appeal. So too, join us in helping with our upcoming Adult night fundraiser on March 23rd - far more than a party where adults can enjoy a night out.  It's your opportunity to be a part of an important organization where as a community we can invest in our youth, providing endless opportunities for youth to grow, find their unique selves and feel good about their contributions to the community and world. We need big fundraising to keep this work going. Hope to see you tomorrow at DSU, Wednesday at 11am or 7pm - whatever suits your schedule!