Community Articles

Free Teens USA Year End Report

2021 was a challenging year for us as we were not able to do much classroom education because of the Covid school lockdowns in New Jersey and California. It was heartbreaking to see so many young people shut off from their teachers and peers and confined in their homes!

We did use the time to upgrade all of our multimedia Relationship Intelligence Training presentations aka LoveSmarts education.

We WERE able to meet many times with young people in our after-school clubs, sometimes in person and sometimes via […]

2021-12-31T20:11:48+00:00December 31st, 2021|Community Articles|0 Comments

Creating a Culture of High Expectations for all Youth

By Linda Doering, SRAS

To learn about the research on the “Pygmalion Effect,” especially as it concerns developing the “high expectations” of Teaching Professionals in their own classrooms was enlightening and profound. Something that has always been hidden in plain sight: drawing out our students’ potential through believing in them and putting that belief, as Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Educators, into action vs. their self-defeating self-talk such as “I am a product of my past experience and current environment.”

Not only can this be an advantage for students and parents, but also for teachers themselves, as they draw out that budding […]

2021-01-06T18:25:34+00:00January 6th, 2021|Community Articles|3 Comments

YOU A WINNER! Music Video Premiere

We’re sure you’ll enjoy another music video created at the 2020 Free Teens Media Summit in Edison, NJ on the weekend of October 23-25, 2020. It’s called “You a Winner!” The video actors included Jah’shaya Primus, Darlene Chen, Trenazah Jackson, Zyair Hansford and Yvonne Turner.

2020-11-28T05:32:58+00:00November 28th, 2020|Community Articles|0 Comments

NAH I’M GOOD Music Video Premiere

Check out the premiere of the NAH I’M GOOD Music Video on the Free Teens Youth youtube channel, also posted at FreeTeensYouth.org.

The video was created at the 2020 Free Teens Media Summit held on October 23-25, 2020 in Edison, NJ with teens from the east and west coast of the USA.

The video was produced by Darron Rosborough, Kienyen Chen, and Noal Burl and filmed by Joshua Buergi and Kai Kellet. Nibrya Tiagha, Jah’shaya Primus, Jarvis Ferguson and Trenazah Jackson were the actors.

2020-11-20T06:50:54+00:00November 20th, 2020|Community Articles|0 Comments

Winners of 2020 LoveSmart Media Contest Announced!

Entries at this year’s LoveSmart Media contest were shown at the 2020 Teen Media Summit last month.

The judges chose three entries for recognition.

In 1st Place was the Spoken Word video, “Free To Embrace” performed by Janaeya Smith from the Cool Kids Free Teens club in Paterson, NJ.

In 2nd Place was a Rap music video called “The Abstinence Song” submitted by Joseph and Joshua Buergi  from the Bay Area in California.

The 1st Place winner in the Video Drama category was the Cool Kids PSA. The video, was written and directed by Kasier Carter. Actors included Jared Barnes, Sophia Savage, Nasir […]

2020-12-21T02:16:57+00:00November 7th, 2020|Community Articles|0 Comments

What 15 Teens Say about LoveSmarts Education

10th Graders at Lincoln HS, Jersey City

  • I liked that everything was straight-forward. I feel like everything that was talked about was serious and real.

  • I really like how open our conversations were. No dead space.

  • It’s teaching me the things I don’t know and information I can take into consideration when I’m in these situations. One thing I learned and I found interesting is the difference between mature and immature love.

  • Yes (I liked the program), because school doesn’t really talk about these types of things.

  • It was very eye-opening hearing what happened with teens who had sex so […]

2019-09-06T20:20:19+00:00September 6th, 2019|Community Articles|0 Comments

Camden City Council recognizes Free Teens USA efforts to help youth

On August 14, 2018, Julie Edwards, regional Free Teens club coordinator, spoke to the Camden City Council which recognized the work of Free Teens USA (Institute for Relationship Intelligence) for its educational programs for youth for developing “leadership skills, healthy relationships and sexual risk avoidance.”

In the group photo: Julie Edwards (black t-shirt)

From left: Sabreen Pitts, coordinator of the new Free Teens club in Camden, club member Daneazha Lee in middle with her mother Victoria Simmons behind her, and Councilman-at-large Angel Fuentes.

Camden City Council recognizes Free Teens USA efforts to help youth - Free Teens Youth - Changing Minds, Transforming Lives

 

2018-08-16T07:00:24+00:00August 16th, 2018|Community Articles|0 Comments