The City of Lynn recently received funding from the Department of Public Health to implement a safe prescription drug disposal program.  This program provides the opportunity for local residents to safely and conveniently dispose of unused medications which serves two purposes: a) to reduce youth access to prescription medication and b) to provide a more environmentally sound solution to disposal (as opposed to contaminating the water supply by flushing medicines).  The initial kick off event is scheduled for Saturday, June 26 between 10 am and noon at the Lynn Police Station.  After that time, the drop off box will remain in the lobby of the Lynn Police Station and will be accessible 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Looking for something for the kids to do this summer?  RAW Arts offers a number of group programs for youth.  RAW groups are FREE of charge and offer youth a chance to express and explore themselves under the guidance of our Master's level Creative Art Therapists and professional artists. No prior art experience is necessary.  For more information about RAW please contact the Outreach Coordinator, Laura at laura@rawartworks.org  or 781.593.5515 ext 218.

Come join Keystone, Lynn CITYWIDE Youth Council, PartoftheSolution and Torch Club for an Earth Day park cleanup and tree planting.  We will be meeting at the Lynn Commons (across from the Boys and Girls Club) at 11:30 AM.  Refreshments will be served.  Please contact GayLynne Samsonoff (gsamsonoff@scilynn.org) for more information.

The 12th Annual (HALT) Harmony Among Lynn Teens Conference is this Saturday April 10th, 2010 from 4:30-11:00 p.m. at Lynn Tech.  The youth/adult planning committee has been very busy putting together what we think will be another great HALT Conference!  This annual conference gives teens resources to live healthy lives while demonstrating the positive contributions youth are making in the city.  Last year over 350 Lynn teens came out for this event to find out how they could make a difference.  This year's conference will have an anti-violence focus (specific theme to be decided this week).  The evening will include:
    •    Agency Resource Tables
    •    Summer Job Information
    •    Best Pizza in Lynn?  Teens eat & vote! (Over 15 Lynn Restaurants donate their pizzas for this)
    •    Youth Led Workshops
    •    Inspirational Speakers  
    •    followed by a Dance & free give aways!!!!

For more information about the HALT conference contact: Tosha Duester, Girls Inc of Lynn 781-592-9744 ext. 210 or Cathy Rowe, Lynn Housing Authority  781-598-4291

Looking for something for the kids to do after school?  The Lynn YMCA has supervised activities Monday – Friday from 2-6 pm for children in grades K-8.  The Core program is based in the Youth Center and works around a team concept.  Activities include swimming, sports, computer center, art crafts, homework help and snack.

Youth will have access to many different facilities including the youth center, game room, racquetball courts, pool, basketball gym, indoor track, outdoor playground and computer center.

Participation requires a youth membership and a $20.00 monthly fee.

Please direct your questions to our Youth and Teen Director, Gregg Ellenberg at gellenberg@lynnymca.org or 781-581-3105 x238

“Food for Thought:  Strawberries in December”
 
March 16, 2010
9 AM - 1 PM, North Shore Community College, Lynn Campus Gym
                       
Our choices of local food and agricultural practices can impact the planet as much as driving our cars! This year we propose to focus on and promote local and organic growers, food production, sustainable gardening practices, nutrition etc. Everyone is invited, including staff, faculty, students and the public!
 
Speakers include:
The Food Project: Youth Program & Urban Gardening, Heifer International:Sustainable Agriculture Globally, 
Farmers' Market of Marblehead: The Inside Story, 
Zumi’s Umesh Bhuju/Gordon College: Fair Trade Movement
, First Light Farm: Sustainable Agriculture Locally

Some of the tables and exhibits include:
Northeast Harvest, Valley View Farm (Goat cheese making), 
Hydroponics, 
Community Gardening, 
Local restaurants using local foods, 
Container Gardening
,Composting, 
Rain Barrels
, Alfalfa Farm Wines, 
Freecycle
, Lynn Time Bank, 
Carbon Footprint of meals, 
The Natural Step, 
Ford School Organic Gardens, 
Mass. Department of Agriculture
, NSCC Horticulture Department, 
NSCC Culinary Arts Department, 
NSCC Green Curriculum
, NSCC Green Jobs Training Information

The Youth Drop in Center is starting back up Saturday nights (March 6th through May 29th, June 19th and 26th) at the Lynn Vocational Tech Field House from 6:30 PM till 9:30 PM.  This program is being offered to teens ages 13 through 19.  Come out for sports, games and music.  All free!  For more information, call Lisa Nerich at 781.477.7096. 

This program is sponsored by the City of Lynn's Parks and Recreation Department and the Lynn Police Department.

  North Shore Community College is offering fun and engaging courses for kids 5 to 14.  This program allows children to dig in and explore arts and sciences in high energy, hands-on classes.  This is a great opportunity for children to discover and explore their creative side.  Let them problem-solve and unleash their imaginations.  Let them learn to love learning!  Classes are held Saturdays from February 6th through March 13th (no class February 13th) on the Danvers and Lynn Campuses.  North Shore's Youth Programs coordinator (Trish Walker) can be reached at 978-236-1232 or youthprograms@northshore.edu.

*Please click here, the flier at the bottom of the page contains detailed class information*

Art explorers will experience a broad range of visual and performing art forms through hands-on-activities and discussions.  Each week is designed to encourage creativity with projects that relate to broad, contextual themes.  Visual arts activities may include painting, multi-media, sculpture, print making and more.  In performing arts classes, explorers discover new forms of expression through movement, acting, script-writing and story-telling.  On the last day of class, friends and family are encouraged to support their budding artists by visiting their self-curated exhibit and performance!  Performance, exhibition and reception at 2:30 on Fridays.  For more information on applying to this program, please call 781.598.5244 or visit www.lynnarts.org.  Lynn Arts is located at 25 Exchange St, Central Square, Lynn, MA 01901.

The third Lynn CITYWIDE Youth Council (LCWYC) meeting will be held at the Boys and Girls Club on November 23rd from 5PM to 6PM.  Refreshments will be served.  Anyone who has yet to turn in their applications, please bring them to the meeting.  If you need an application or additional information regarding the Youth Council, please refer to this blog post.