Back to School Newsletter
Resources for Thriving Youth
Newsletter Highlights
- Food, healthcare, and basic needs assistance for families
- Supporting student attendance & success (including free online tutoring!)
- Information about free or low cost internet access and student computers
- Additional community health and financial supports for families beyond the basics
- Youth "spark" and how to foster it
- Free Youth Mental Health First Aid training
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
Food, Childcare, Health Coverage & Basic Needs Assistance
We know that even with assistance making ends meet for families can be challenging. See our 72-page Tri-County Community Health Guide loaded with additional resources to supplement food assistance, health care, mental health needs and so much more. See full article below.
Student Success: Attend School Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Supportive tips from parents and our local truancy prevention experts on what really works to help prevent chronic absenteeism. Our parent focus groups admit implementing these can be challenging but they all say the time put in is well worth the effort and greater ease in their families. For more age-related strategies and support, visit the button below.
Universal strategies for PK-12
Set an early age-appropriate bedtime for youth so getting up is easier
Create a consistent night and morning routine for the whole family
Leave extra time for the unexpected when setting alarms
Prep lunches, clothing and supplies needed the night before. For info about free and reduced school lunches go to michigan.gov/mde/ under the Food and Nutrition Programs section
Schedule medical appointments for after school or on half days
Allow your child to miss school when truly sick. Refer to school handbook/health guidelines
Communicate with your child’s school when absent or tardy
Have a back-up plan in case of transportation challenges
Support student academic competency and success so youth feel good about attending school online or in person. See www.tutor.com for free online tutoring services and article below for free or low cost computers and internet resources.
Photo by Isabella and Zsa Fischer on Unsplash
Low Cost or Free Computer /Internet Access
- Local libraries often have free ways to check out computers, hotspots as well as free on-site computer and internet use
Computers with Causes: https://www.computerswithcauses.org/application.htm
The On It Foundation: https://theonitfoundation.org/faqs/
PC's For People:https://www.pcsforpeople.org/
EveryoneOn: www.everyoneon.org.
Computer Technology Assistance Corps: https://ctac-nh.org/node/12
Free of Low Cost Internet: An article detailing all the many ways you can access free or low cost internet: https://lowincomerelief.com/how-to-get-free-internet-almost/
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program: https://lowincomerelief.com/emergency-broadband-benefit-program/
Igniting Spark in Youth!
Spark is what lights people up, gives them hope, direction, or purpose and makes them want to get up in the morning. For 20 of the most inspiring minutes to get your school year off to a bang, see the video below!
Peter Benson, scientist at the Search Institute, shares a famous quote from Plutarch: “Youth are not vessels to be filled but fires to be lit from within.” How can we ignite what is inside youth? Spark is not necessarily what we do but rather what animates us.
Spark falls into 3 categories:
- a skill or talent (like art, sports, cooking, reading, studying history, knitting, gardening, inventing things, learning languages, etc.)
- a commitment (to family, social justice, the underserved, government, earth care, etc.)
- a quality (kindness, ingenuity, compassion, empathy, etc.).
We are asking adults supporting youth to begin the school year thinking about ways to:
- ignite youth spark and role model igniting and fueling your spark
- champion spark in youth by affirming it when you see it
- provide opportunities for youth spark development
Free Community Health Guide
- 72 pages of free or low cost tri-county resources for students and families
- Contains multiple sections ranging from medical/mental/sexual health services to nutrition/financial and housing supports as well as information about support groups, help lines and community activity centers (and much more)
- To access the whole community health guide online, click on the button below or visit: https://www.eatonresa.org/prevention/healthy-students/tri-count-community-health-guide/
- When sharing the guide on social media, please use the #eatonengage hashtag.
Free Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach:
- teachers and school staff
- youth group leaders
- parents and caregivers
- family members
- caring citizens who regularly work with youth
The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.
Topics covered include:
- anxiety
- depression
- substance use
- disorders in which psychosis may occur
- AD/HD
- eating disorders
- how to connect youth with help
- NEW expanded content on trauma, self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying
The course requires a 2-hour self-paced module prior to the online training.