The
Circle of Community
-
a word from our Founder,
Cynthia
Osterman
I’m so grateful
for our strong community. We share
a commitment to quality of life, caring,
and volunteerism, and I see evidence
daily. This heart beats at Port Townsend
High School where administrators see
firsthand the challenges of adolescence
and are inspired to seek innovative
solutions. Read on for details of The
Benji Project’s upcoming program at
PTHS. Also know that you complete this
circle. Our donors, supporters, and
volunteers make this work possible.
Thank you for supporting youth
in our community.
Port Townsend
Kiwanis awarded The Benji Project
its Everyday Hero Award at a
ceremony in August recognizing our
work in the community.
Port
Townsend High School
Offers The Benji Project
Program
About 240
students in 9th and 10th
grade at Port Townsend High School will
learn tools to manage stress and
navigate the emotional ups and downs of
adolescence through The Benji Project.
The five-session program
will feature highlights of our “Making
Friends with Yourself” curriculum on
mindfulness and self-compassion.
Led by Teresa Shiraishi and Heather
McRae-Woolf of The Benji Project, the
classes take place during health or
English periods this fall. PTHS
administrators and teachers have been
instrumental in bringing this
opportunity to the high school, and The
Benji Project thanks donors including
Rotary and Kiwanis for financial support
that makes this program possible.
Benji
Camp Wins Rave Reviews
from Middle School
Youth
“Let more teens
know about this camp because they need
this,” one participant in Benji Camp
said in a program feedback survey.
The four-day summer camp in August
served 18 youth ages 11 to 14 including
a session for boys for the first time.
Campers did art projects, games, yoga,
and had a hot dog roast and ice cream
sundae party while learning practices to
support their emotional
well-being.
Interview
with our Founder on
KPTZ
Cynthia Osterman,
founder of The Benji Project, was
interviewed by on the KPTZ Compass radio
show by host Charlie Bermant about the
challenges facing youth in our community
and The Benji Project’s mission. Listen
here.
Back-to-school
Mental Wellness
Checklist
The
back-to-school season is exciting
and sometimes overwhelming for kids
and families. Here’s a checklist of
tips on how to support the
well-being of your child drawn from
resources of JED
Foundation and YourMomCares.
Help
your
child
develop
a
self-care
plan–
Review with
her which
activities
and
practices
make her
feel happy
and relaxed,
and
encourage
her to do
these
whenever she
feels down
or
overwhelmed.
Also discuss
healthy
habits such
as eating
well,
getting
enough
sleep, and
exercising.
Support
your
child in
developing
healthy
stress
management
techniques–
Explore the
differences
between
healthy and
unhealthy
coping. The
Benji
Project’s
program
teaches a
toolkit of
positive
coping
techniques.
Motivate
your
child to
develop
personal
goals–
Discuss
where she
sees herself
at the end
of the
semester or
year, and
make a plan
to achieve
those
goals.
Assist
your
child to
stay
socially
connected-
Encourage
him to
participate
in
extracurricular
activities
and get
involved.
Help
your
child
create
conflict
management
strategies
-
Talk
about likely
scenarios
and ways to
handle
them.
Foster
positive
ways to
express
feelings–
Discuss
different
emotions and
how to
recognize
and
communicate
them. Be
open with
your
children
about your
own
emotions.
Make
sure
your
child
knows
where to
go for
help
with
emotional
stress–
Ensure your
child knows
about mental
health and
other
resources at
school and
in the
community as
well as
other adults
they can
trust.
Teach
your
child
how to
build
resilience
around
setbacks–
Help your
kids learn
how to put
setbacks
into
perspective,
whether
around
academics,
sports, or
another part
of their
life.
