Members of ten Fall River youth groups participated in a leadership development exercise at CD-REC on October 23, 2008. The purpose of the late afternoon workshop was to begin to find ways to bring the various groups together into a single voice for youth in Fall River. Participants included members of Team F.R.E.S.H., PLOT, TADA, Durfee High School National Honor Society, Durfee Student Government, Durfee's Connecting Cultures Club, Bishop Connolly High School's Student Government, and Citizens For Citizens Making Proud Choices. Youth Services Director Christian McCloskey, CD_REC Program Director Jamison Souza, Massachusetts Promise Fellow Brendan Sullivan and Peaceful Coalition staffer Ine Ogagan led the group through an "ice breaker" exercise and then the development of ideas on how the different groups could be more supportive of one another. For more information about the project contact Healthy Youth Task Force co-chairs  Christian McCloskey at 508-324-2419, or Jamison Souza at 508-679-0922.
 

(Top row, left and center) The group goes through several "ice breaker" exercises, one of which involves tagging people before they run away. (Top row, right) Steven Tso from Durfee High School introduces himself as Isaiah Darby and Bristol Community College Service-Learning director Mary Zahm listen. (Middle row, left and right) Family Planning's Making Proud Choices director Anne Medeiros listens as Sarah Jefferies and Leidyelly Goncalves introduce themselves. (Bottom row, left) Durfee Hilltop Editor-in-Chief and National Honor Society member Kelsey Braga, Celia Cordeiro, Peter Phoung and National Honor Society sponsor Jonathan Paquette talk over ways the groups could collaborate. (Bottom row, center) Ine Ogagan talks to the group about the value of leadership development. (Bottom row, right) Chantel Cesar and Arlene Dumont listen as Morton seventh-grader and PLOT member Nicholas Dumont speaks.