Scott Schauer

Teen facing charges for 29 counts of sexual assault

December 21, 2011 By kimg

If you haven’t heard yet, a local Santa Clarita teen (19 years old) is facing charges for 29 counts of sexual assault involving 14 girls, some as young as 12 years old. (http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_19592292)

This disturbing news and several key discussions with a few of the school sites we service has served as a catalyst for a critical program that will soon be offered by the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Project. We are diligently working on a presentation that will not only address this important and timely topic, but provide teens with information to arm and empower themselves when facing choices that could ultimately impact the rest of their lives. Discussions about the dangers of Facebook and social media as a whole, as well as texting, online chat rooms, the use of cameras/video and other technologies need to happen now. With more teens receiving phones, computers, tablets and other means of technology over the holidays, it will open them up more than ever for potential online bullying, sexual promiscuity and even increase the chances of being targeted by predators.

Our unique access to teens and their thoughts and feelings gives us a rare opportunity to talk openly about these topics. More and more, we have heard about how technology is used as a way to engage in risky behavior. We are confident that our presentation will enlighten teens about the risk, consequences and life-long repercussions and that being armed with this information could mean the difference between engaging and thinking twice about who they communicate with as well as what information they share, whether they choose to or feel coerced into doing so.

Our goal is to bridge the gap between teens and the parents/faculty who work so hard to protect them by educating both the youth as well as parents. Providing teens and parents information on the dangers and warning signs, helping them find ways to prevent unsafe situations to begin with and understanding and utilizing online security are just a few ways we can reach families and keep our teens educated and safe from potential devastation.

Filed Under: Issues, Program, Teens, Violence Tagged With: facebook, pedophile, sex, sexting, sexual assault, social media, teens

Ten for Teens Campaign

November 25, 2011 By jackiem

This holiday season, we know it’s become increasingly difficult for people to donate to the causes they support. But with every family’s economic struggle, we also find that teens are having an even harder time communicating about the pressures and issues that come up day after day. That’s why we’ve launched the “Ten for Teens” campaign. For just a $10 donation, you can make a huge difference in the life of a teen who needs support, resources and to be heard.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

The SCV Youth Project is an innovative and community-based venture that teaches youth to successfully deal with the concerns they face daily and to avoid high risk behavior such as drug use, violence, dropping out of school and running away. Our aim is to intervene early and often, offering effective prevention to all local students grades, 7 – 12 and their parents.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Some of the services SCV Youth Project provides:

Peer Mentoring One-to-one, confidential support, as it relates to ANY issue (anger, grief, depression, school, family, etc). Mentors meet with students on campus, as often as they request.

Crisis Intervention Peer Mentors are available to respond to crisis calls, within a reasonable time frame, no matter what the issue.

Classroom Presentations These presentations provide information that help students on all levels, from communication, to life skills, to college prep to goal setting. We can tailor presentations, to fit the needs of each campus.

Lunchtime Madness An informal pizza and game party, to help kids become more social on their campus.

Teen 411 Outreach campaign, in alignment with National Awareness Campaigns to educate students about obesity, anti-smoking, suicide prevention, child abuse/neglect prevention, etc.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Support Groups, including but not limited to:

Teenage Grief Group Designed to equip students who have faced the loss of a loved one in their life, whether family or friend, with the skills to deal with their grief, and with a safe place to talk about their loss.

Life Skills Group The goal of this group is to prepare students for the transition to living independently, and covers such topics as moving from the family home, finances, college and career goals, time management and car ownership.

Male Issues Group This group deals specifically with the challenges that young men face today, including: peer pressure, dealing with emotions, respect, handling anger, family relationships, decision making, violence and drugs and alcohol education.

Conflict Resolution Group The goal of this group is to give students the skills they need to effectively and positively deal with conflict in their lives. Anger management, communication, listening and respect are key topics.

Families in Transition Our Families in Transitions Group is very effective in helping students learn to live peacefully within their own family. This group focuses on issues surrounding a change in the family environment, (divorce, blended families, etc.). Teens will be given a chance to talk about family dynamics, roles in the home, healthy communication and how to cope with change and loss. It is currently offered as a bilingual group.

Family Issues The focus of the Family Issues Group is similar to that of that of the Families in Transition, but is not specific to families that are in transition, but applies to all families. Discussion topics will include: how to live peacefully within your family, how to communicate effectively with your family, respect, setting family specific goals, and how to cope with family rules while developing a sense of independence.

Teen Issues Anything goes in this group … co-ed group to discuss all issues that a teen may be facing, from relationships to bullying, drugs/alcohol abuse, sex, grades, family ….

Girls Issues Group This group is designed to guide and support young women through education and mentoring in order to empower them to make healthy lifestyle choices. Topics include relationships, body image, goal setting, decision making, respect, anger management and drugs and alcohol education.

Pregnant Teens Group for pregnant or parenting teens and their partners. The groups focus is to ensure students have the resources they need, gain support from others in their same situation, help with emotional stress around pregnancy or parenting, and a focus on keeping students in school and educated.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Parenting education & support It is our goal to expand our program to include parent education; our staff will provide parenting education and support services to parents. Topics include: communicating with your teen, drug & alcohol use, gang affiliation, how to help your child succeed in school and other relevant issues.

Employment Assistance Do you need help finding a job? We can help you fill out job applications, write a resume, learn interview skills and provide you with tips to get that job you’re looking for.

Educational Assistance Our staff is available to help students and families navigate through the school system, fill out college applications and assist with tutoring on a case by case basis, if staffing permits.

Family Mediation Sometimes sitting down and working out problems as a family can be difficult. Our staff is available to help families find solutions to their current circumstances and begin to understand each other’s point of view.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Filed Under: Donations Tagged With: addiction, alcohol, bullies, bullying, depression, donate, drugs, eating disorders, employment, fundraiser, health, help not hassle, issues, pregnancy, scv youth project, suicide, teens, ten for teens

4th Annual Sweet Charity Cake Auction and Competition

November 16, 2011 By kimg

Presents the 4th Annual

RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW!

April 21, 2012

Tournament Player Club (TPC), Valencia

SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS AVAILABLE

REGISTER NOW

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS:

The Fondant Sponsor

The Sugar Sponsors!

The Frosting Sponsors

The Flour Sponsors

NANCY STARCZYK WITH

Filed Under: 2012 Cake Auction, Sweet Charity Cake Auction

BIG WINNERS at the 5th Annual Hold ‘Em Not Hassle ‘Em Tourney

November 8, 2011 By kimg

What a great night of poker, black jack and roulette, not to mention delicious food prepared by Italia Deli, great cocktails from Mixers with our proud sponsor Chiquita Canyon Landfill at the helm. Thank you to all of our volunteers, donors, players, SCVYP Board Members, sponsors and guests who helped make this night a wonderful fundraiser.

And extra special Thank You to our event chairs, Gregg Goodman, Scott Schauer, Jerry Citarella and Dave Toneman, for all of your extra assistance …. Deanna Small for your design expertise, and to Jamie Bennett, Serena Schaffer, Amy Padovich and Jena Minassian for running registration …. your help was in invaluable.

Photos courtesy of John Diego Photography (more pictures to come)

Congratulations to our top winners:

1st Place Winner: Dana Kellstrom

2nd Place Winner: James Leighton

3rd Place Winner: Curt Kravitz

Filed Under: 2011, Events, Hold 'Em Not Hassle 'Em, Uncategorized Tagged With: charity, fundraising, poker

A child molester amongst us ….

November 7, 2011 By kimg

A recent story about an alleged sexual assault against an 11yr old male in the bathroom at the local mall, flooded the community and sparked much debate as to how to protect our youth against sexual predators. Many parents immediately reacted with statements like ” I will never let my child go into a bathroom alone again”, while others scramble for ways to protect their children from potential harm. The Youth Project is not taking a position as to which is the appropriate response, however, we are all about arming you with information so that you can make informed decisions. Below is an excerpt taken from an article from Education.com, giving parents a few tips as to how to speak with their kids about this very difficult topic.

It’s difficult for most parents to talk to children about this emotionally laden subject. How can we warn children of potential dangers without destroying their basic trust of people or upsetting their view that this is a good world? We may shy away from the topic because we don’t think it’s possible to discuss the negative aspects of sexuality, such as adult exploitation of children, without giving disapproving messages about healthy physical affection or sex in general.

But children are bombarded every day with media events and stories involving murders, burglaries, kidnappings, rapes and molestations. We need to help interpret these events for children and put them into perspective. We must talk to our children about precautions they can take to thwart a potential molester. It may be easier for you to use news reports as a way of leading into this uncomfortable topic.

Child molestation can occur in any neighborhood. The offender can be of any age, race or economic level. In most cases, the offender is not a stranger, but a relative or an acquaintance of the family. The victim can be either male or female. Molestations very seldom take place in a child care program. They occur much more frequently in a home or neighborhood setting.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Issues, Teens Tagged With: communicatin, safety, sexual predators

Teen Scene Unplugged

September 6, 2011 By kimg

Please join the The City of Santa Clarita and the Blue Ribbon Task Force for the
11^th Annual Teen Scene Unplugged on
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Golden Valley High School.
6:00pm – 7:00pm – Resource Fair
7:00pm – Presentation

Stacy Kaiser, nationally known speaker, author, and psychotherapist will provide strategies and tips on facing the realities and challenges of parenting teens head on.

Ms. Kaiser will discuss ten things every parent needs to know to raise a successful adult.

This event is FREE and open to the public

Filed Under: Events, In the Community Tagged With: outreach, parents, teens

Heroin Kills: The High Is A Lie!

August 16, 2011 By kimg

Heroin Kills: The High Is A Lie!

Tuesday, August 30

6:30-7:00 p.m. and 8:30-9:00 p.m. Resource Fair

7:00-8:30 p.m. Panelist Presentation and Q&A

Santa Clarita Activities Center

In recent months, Santa Clarita has experienced a dramatic increase in heroin use, arrests, and fatal overdoses. Many are unaware of the prevalence of heroin in Santa Clarita schools and among teenagers in our valley. The Heroin symposium will feature valuable information and a diverse group of speakers to help parents protect their children. This event is for parents and teens and the symposium will also include a resource fair.

Spanish translation will be provided

For more information call the Community Service Division at (661) 250-3708 or go to heroinkills.org.

Download Flier

Filed Under: Drugs and Alcohol, Parents Tagged With: addiction, drugs, family, help, issues, teens

Still a few more weeks of summer, and ….

July 28, 2011 By kimg Leave a Comment

Parents, are your kids struggling with summertime cabin fever? Are you? Do you listen to daily rants of “we’re so bored”? Well, you are not alone.

We found a helpful list of activities to help you and your family survive the last weeks of summer, before school starts again. Check it out and let us know if it helps!

50 Fun Things To Do This Summer!
By Jillian Bietz

During the summer it is so easy to say, “I have nothing to do!” No more excuses-here is a list of 50 things to do the next time you are bored!

1. Gather up a few friends, and have a picnic in your back .
2. Go on a walk and take pictures of trees, flowers, dogs, etc.
3. Buy some fashion magazines, pick out a couple of really cute outfits, and try to recreate them for less!
4. Bead some bracelets and sell them for charity.
5. Volunteer at the local animal or homeless shelter.
6. Clean your room!
7. Bake some cupcakes and deliver them to friends and family.
8. Play some childhood games like “Sorry”, “Candyland”, or “Pretty Pretty Princess”.
9. Take your dog for a walk.
10. E-mail a friend you haven’t spoken to in awhile.
11. Do 25 jumping jacks!
12. Look through old family scrapbooks, photo books, and yearbooks.
13. Make a root beer float.
14. Go to the movies with your siblings.
15. Go window-shopping with a friend.
16. Write a poem.
17. Make fresh, homemade fruit juice.
18. Give your dog a bath.
19. Make dinner for your family.
20. Baby-sit for a neighbor. 21. Have a sleepover party and watch scary movies.
22. Plan a vacation you want to take next summer.
23. Plant flowers in your yard.
24. Sign up for a class.
25. Have a bubble bath.
26. Make a mixed CD of your favorite songs and title it “The soundtrack of my life”.
27. Order a pizza.
28. Splash around in a plastic kiddy pool.
29. Buy some crayons and a coloring book.
30. Read a book based on a movie you have seen.
31. Make a scrapbook of your baby pictures.
32. Get a job or an internship.
33. Start a diary and write in it everyday.
34. Spend the day at the library.
35. Draw a self-portrait.
36. Make a collage out of old magazines.
37. Run around in the sprinklers.
38. Go to a museum.
39. Go out for lunch with one of your parents.
40. Jump in the pool with your clothes on.
41. Eat last night’s leftovers for breakfast.
42. Learn to sew or knit.
43. Invite friends over and have a tea party.
44. Swing on the swings at the park.
45. Tie-Dye a t-shirt or bed sheets with Kool-Aid!
46. Make a smoothie.
47. Learn how to define and spell 5 new words from the dictionary.
48. Make popsicles in your freezer.
49. Put on the radio and dance.
50. Go camping in your backyard!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Filed Under: Parents, Teens Tagged With: activities, summer, things to do

Free Webinar Slated to Help Parents Become More Drug Aware

July 14, 2011 By kimg

The Hart School District has scheduled an online free webinar for Thursday, July 14, 2011 from 6 – 7 pm, to educate parents and students about contemporary drugs that are being used by students in local neighborhoods.

The District’s drug awareness and education program, called CADRE (Comprehensive Alcohol and Drug Reduction and Education), in coordination with Medtox Laboratories have developed a program to help parents and students understand these issues, encourage prevention and provide support.

Many of the drugs used are 100% legal and are being sold in the Santa Clarita Valley. Through the use of social media, students are informed about what is out there almost as soon as it becomes available.

The webinar will discuss many aspects of these drugs and the serious health consequences for using and abusing them. If you are a parent and words like “Spice, K2, Salvia, Ivory Wave, Robo-Tripping,” don’t sound familiar, this Webinar is for you. These are all legal drugs available in local neighborhoods and parents and community members need to be as informed as possible to better protect their children.

“The District is committed to helping our community, parents and students to become drug free and drug aware,” Kathy Hunter, Coordinator of Student Services said. “We will have additional webinars this year and added information on the District’s website to better inform and educate parents.”

The CADRE program empowers students by giving them a reason to say NO to illegal drug and alcohol use and also provides parents with assurances that their sons or daughters are not using drugs or alcohol. CADRE offers voluntary random drug testing which gives students a reason to say NO to drug use, while promoting a safe and drug-free school environment and encouraging responsible decision making.

Additionally, CADRE offers seminars to educate students and parents about the types of drugs used and abused in the school community and how to detect signs of drug or alcohol use. CADRE also offers counseling support by an approved licensed drug counselor when drug use has been detected.

CADRE is a voluntary program of the Hart School District. More information is available on the District’s website: http://hartdistrict.org/index.php/students/cadre

The Hart School District works closely with the SCV Sheriff’s Department and the City of Santa Clarita in a pro-active approach to keep students safe and drug free, through education and school and citywide programs.

Visit: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/123139150 to register.