Introducing Our Pelham Together School Liaisons!
Introducing Our Pelham Together School Liaisons!

Thank you to our volunteers in our new role of School Liaison! At each building, these PT representatives are your go-to for all things Pelham Together—where to get the BIG Pelham calendar, what resources and programs are available to parents and youth, including our new PT Counseling program, bringing affordable, short-term therapy to young people ages 5-20. You can also share thoughts and/or concerns regarding topics of interest to support a particular age group, which will drive PT programming.

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BlogGuest UserCommunity Programs
Pelham Together Summer Internship '23 - Another Great Success!
Pelham Together Summer Internship '23 - Another Great Success!

During July and August 2023, Pelham Together hosted their popular Summer Internship program with almost 30 teens and 25 mentors, and two recent graduates of the program were mentors for this years’ interns.  The program included two sessions with mentors, as well as a 3-day leadership training seminar focused on communication skills, learning and leading styles, goal setting and team building. 

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BlogGuest UserYouth Programs, Summer Internship
Summer Interns Are Off And Running!
Summer Interns Are Off And Running!

The 2023 Sumer Interns have completed their 3-day leadership training and are off to begin their assignments with mentors for the next three weeks. The interns spent last week working together, facilitated by a Youth Leadership Trainer , Pelham Together Youth Advocate Danielle Marrero, and two graduates of the program, Akaylah Ng Saye and Nora Tahbaz. They participated in various activities intended to tap into their individual personality strengths to develop their communication skills and how identify ways to best collaborate with others, as well as how to advocate for themselves. There were conversations about how to best connect these insights to what they might face at work. They also got to know each other and met their mentors.

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BlogGuest UserSummer Internship, Youth Programs
PT Hosts Summer Internship Welcome Event at TD Bank
PT Hosts Summer Internship Welcome Event at TD Bank

Pelham Together held a Communications Workshop for our 2023 Summer Interns on May 18th at TD Bank. Many of our summer internship mentors were able to attend, as well as some local adult volunteers. The workshop included a number of “conversation-starter” activities, followed up by small group conversations between interns and mentors. Our summer interns were able to practice speaking to adults who they generally don’t know, which is a skill they will all need this summer as they head into jobs with local or locally-connected businesses and organizations.

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BlogGuest UserSummer Internship, Youth, Youth Programs
SummerFest '23 Was A Roaring Success!
SummerFest '23 Was A Roaring Success!

SummerFest took over Chester Park on June 3rd, 2023 and everyone had a great time. This was the best family day in Pelham yet again. The teen bands were exceptional, the food by Depot Dave Catering fueled the day, kids loved the crafts and the obstacle course, tie dye was awesome, some grooved to Thrive, and all the dogs were the best (especially Maggie, Blanche, and Larry, who won our various contests)!

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BlogGuest UserCommunity Programs, Youth Programs
SummerFest '23 Is Coming - June 3rd, 3-8pm - at Chester Park!
SummerFest '23 Is Coming - June 3rd, 3-8pm - at Chester Park!

June 3rd from 3-8pm….SummerFest is back!! Join Pelham Together and your neighbors in Chester Park to enjoy a day full of fun for every age! As usual, the event will begin with our super popular Dog Parade, and the rest of the day will include activities such as tie-dye, mini-golf, carnival games, an obstacle course, face painting, volleyball/badminton, lawn games, kids’ crafts, and….center stage….our teen musicians! Depot Dave will be there serving his delicious food from the grill (burgers, including veggie, hot dogs, chicken); Pelicones ice cream, cotton candy and a beer garden (21+).

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BlogGuest UserCommunity Programs, Youth Programs
Teenage Drinking is More Complicated Than It Seems
Teenage Drinking is More Complicated Than It Seems

By Melissa Ronan, LMSW, Pelham Together Executive Board Member, and Chair of the Pelham Together Mental Health Committee

It’s not just that your teen is drinking. The bigger issue with teenage drinking is that many kids drink to cope instead of learning to cope. And teens with mental health problems often drink to self-medicate, camouflaging the symptoms of underlying issues that are developing. Studies show that the later kids start drinking, the less likely they are to ever develop a substance abuse problem. So delaying or minimizing teen drinking has significant long-term benefits to their physical and emotional well-being.

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BlogGuest UserAlcohol, Mental Health, Co-Occurring Disorders, Parenting
What I Wish My Parents Had Known About ADHD

When I was 45, I had my son tested for ADHD. Looking over his shoulder, I read the questionnaire. “Don’t finish projects you start,” “difficulty sustaining attention,” “struggle to get organized,” “avoid, dislike or are reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort,” -- these were characteristics of a diagnosable mental illness that could be treated?? I got distracted from helping my son take the quiz because a light bulb had gone off in my head about so many of my own lifelong struggles.

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Blog, ResourcesGuest UserAdolescents, ADHD
How Do I Tell If My Child Has An Eating Disorder
How Do I Tell If My Child Has An Eating Disorder

Second in our series for Mental Health Awareness Month is this podcast by Lisa Damour, PhD, "How Do I Tell If My Child Has An Eating Disorder." While the episode first aired during the pandemic, the topic and her suggestions are still relevant, insightful, and actionable. We have been asked for information on this topic more and more, among all genders, across ages, races, and ethnicities.

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BlogGuest UserEating Disorders, Mental Health
8th Grade Skate Night!!
8th Grade Skate Night!!

On Saturday, March 25th, Pelham Together and the Pelham Middle School PTA hosted ANOTHER open skate night, and this time it was the 8th Graders turn!! Another fun night for all! Thank you to the parent chaperones, without whom we could not host these events. Click through for some GREAT PICS!!

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BlogLaura Carusoyouth, Youth, Youth Programs
Bullying Prevention and Intervention: What Works and What Doesn't
Bullying Prevention and Intervention: What Works and What Doesn't

On March 8, 2023, Make Caring Common of Harvard University hosted a webinar with bullying expert, Dr. Dorothy Espelage, to discuss bullying prevention and intervention. It was EXCELLENT. Check out a write up of key takeaways—including a discussion of what is bullying? What does and doesn’t work to prevent it?—and a recording of the full webinar is at the end.

This event was chocked full of resources, recommendations, and fabulous information for parents, schools, and communities.

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BlogLaura CarusoParenting, Bullying, Mental Health, Fam