April is a little known, but important month of observance – National STD (sexually transmitted disease) Awareness Month. The Center for Disease Control is promiting this month of awareness, and has plenty of information on signs and symptoms, places to get screened and more.  Every year in the U.S. an estimated 20 million people will contract an STD according to statistics most of them teens under the age of 25. California has some of the highest rates of infection in the country and Sacramento has some of the highest in California with 2,778 reported cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia just in teens between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2009. "Stigma, inconsistent or incorrect condom use, limi

Attend the free creative writing workshop this Saturday, Dec.1 from 1-3pm at the South Natomas library branch located at 2901 Truxel Road . This workshop is an introduction to the genres of creative writing (creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry). All materials will be supplied and snacks available. Teens (13-18) will be eligible to submit their writing to the "Heroes" anthology. This workshop is taught by Trina L. Drotar, local poet, writer, editor, and artist. She is the former editor "Poetry Now" and "Calaveras Station." She is active in the Sacramento literary and arts community and received her MA from CSUS. Registration is requested. To register, please click here.  

Mentoring doesn’t require a unique skill. It just takes a willingness to listen, offer encouragement, and share knowledge of what you’ve learned about life. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is seeking adult mentors to serve as positive role models for one hour a week as part of the LINKS Mentoring Program for high school students for the 2012-13 school year. The format of mentoring sessions includes individual and team mentoring in a group setting. Weekly mentoring sessions occur on a set meeting day and time determined by each participating school. SCOE staff members facilitate mentor sessions, organize activities, and provide materials and support. Meeting days and time

When teenage cousins Jen and Yumi Chen walked into the McClatchy Library Friday, Branch Manager Sally McGrath took the girls by the crook of the elbow – one girl on each arm – and led them from the small, crowded foyer and through a wide doorway into the adjacent room: a big, bright new space dedicated to some of McGrath’s favorite library visitors. “Can you believe it? This is for you now,” McGrath told the teens. The girls smiled and thanked McGrath as they looked around. They noticed the posters of Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Elvis Presley and others – one for each decade the library has been open – that McGrath bought with her own money to make the space "even more teen friendly.” Th

  True or false: High school students in Sacramento are actively and enthusiastically involved in changing the way they and their families think about, shop for, and consume food? Absolutely true. And if this surprises you, you should have a chat with some of the teens involved in what could really be thought of as “living laboratories” of Hiram Johnson, Sacramento Charter, and Luther Burbank Senior High Schools. No doubt they are not the only adolescents interested in engaging in a healthier lifestyle, but they are the first local students to participate in a movement, co-founded by well-known celebrity heart surgeon and television host, Dr. Mehmet Oz, known as HealthCorps. The idea

Grass roots organization Strive for Strength is hosting a retreat at the SASF/Bel Air Wong Family Community Center in Elk Grove on Monday, April 2, 9am-4pm. It is open to all females ages 12-18 who wish to learn more about social pressures, self-esteem, women's health issues, and other important topics. The objective is to inform, educate, and empower participants. Guest speakers are journalists Laura and Lisa Ling and national speaker and author Julie Marie Carrier, with KCRA 3 reporter Adrienne Bankert as MC. Registration is $45 and includes meals, a t-shirt, and a giveaway bag. For more information or to register, visit http://strive4strength.homestead.com or call 916-595-5999.

Now that an autism diagnosis is 10 times more common than it was in the 1980s, more children than ever before are undergoing effective early interventions and treatment plans. However, one aspect of the disorder that has yet to garner attention is the scarcity of support for young adults transitioning out of high school and into adulthood. “There is a severe lack of knowledge for educators and parents regarding available options after the public K-12 system,” says Rodger Stein, M.A., an instructor at UC Davis Extension and professor of psychology with the Los Rios Community College District who specializes in behavior supports for youth with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome. “

Readers of all ages will travel the globe this summer as the Sacramento Public Library presents the 2011 Summer Reading program, One World, Many Stories. Sacramento Public Library locations will offer more than 600 free entertaining and educational summer reading programs, between June 1 and through August 31, 2011, for school-age children, teens, adults, and families. “While One World, Many Stories makes reading fun for kids, parents and teachers appreciate that children’s participation in Summer Reading helps develop and expand reading skills, encourages lifelong learning habits, and fosters an appreciation of all the services and resources provided by our public library branches in the

From a press release issued by the band: Sacramento stalwart punks The Secretions are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band by hitting the road for northern Italy on an eight day tour, from April 15 to 22. The tour wraps up with a show featuring CJ Ramone's new band with Daniel Rey on guitar, and Italy’s own legends The Manges. For the stateside celebration in Sacramento, CA, The Secretions have planned a three-night festival show for Memorial Day Weekend dubbed "Suck-Fest", a nod to the band’s motto “We Secrete, You Suck.” The Suck-Fest will be held at Citrus Heights bar The Fire Escape, and the Saturday and Sunday shows of the weekend will be all-ages. The Secretions will share

“Tony Silva rides the bus to see the punk rock bands    He rides out from BFN and no one understands   He doesn’t have a car and he’s not old enough to drive    But seeing punk rock concerts is what keeps Tony alive.” --“Tony Silva Rides the Bus”, by The Secretions   Despite a bad economy and multiple venue closures this year, punk rock is alive and well among the under-18 crowd. “There will be times when things get closed down, and it’ll affect the scene negatively, but in the long run, there’s a resilience in Sacramento,” said Craig Usher, who has been going to punk shows since his freshman year of high school. Usher, now 42 with children, runs a Facebook page cataloguing shows. He sa

One of the options for outdoor ice skating in Sacramento is the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink on Seventh and K streets next to Westfield Downtown Plaza. There are weekly events (like Family Skate Night on Tuesdays and Ice Skating Lessons on Saturdays), and I stopped by on Thursday (Theme Night) to check out the “Ugly Sweater Party.” People started coming in after 6 p.m., and it was fairly busy, with a good mix of families with young children, middle-aged couples and groups of teenagers. I saw a couple of tacky sweaters out there, but I have no idea if they knew about the theme beforehand or not. Several skill levels were represented on the ice, with the large majority of patrons getting

Since 1958, Robbie Waters has served Sacramento as an officer with the Sacramento Police Department, as Sacramento Sheriff, and as Councilmember for District 7 for the last 15 years. A uplifting seal of closure was given to his years of service at Saturday morning’s opening of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library. “The library is an accomplishment for the entire community,” said Waters to a crowd of approximately 500 people. “I have no doubt it will be well used.” The $15-million library consists of 45 public access computers, a 72-seat capacity community meeting room, a teen room, a quiet room, two study rooms, and a Ready to Read room for kids. The library is designed for 67,00

Fashion shows in Sacramento have typically barred teens since the majority of the shows are held inside night clubs.  But with prom season just around the corner, one local retailer has decided change things up a bit and give teens something to shout about with her own fashion show tailord for teens and their parents.  The event, titled, "A Tale of an Edgy Cinderella," and will feature top designers, some of whom have shown at red carpet events in Hollywood. Immediately following the show, guests are invited to the “After Party” located at Tres Chic Boutique on the corner of 23rd and J Street. The evening will continue with fine pastries, coffee, champagne and non-alcoholic beverages. Sp

  Reborn from the defunct North Area Teen Center, the after-school youth center serving young people across the area is now known as The Wall. With a new location at 5933 Sutter Ave. just off Fair Oaks Blvd, services will be expanding to include cooking classes, financial and insurance management, music and art programs. The celebration and Grand Opening Saturday August 1, 2009 brought supporters and friends to share the excitement at the new after-school youth service center. As parent’s thoughts turn to ‘back to school’ The Wall will be there to provide a safe, supervised place for kids in the ‘latch key’ hours between school’s end and parents coming home from work. NASCAR Star of To

This is a great week for book-minded Sacramentans, with plenty of literary events taking place in libraries, movie theaters, community centers and museums.  Read on. Monday, June 29, 7:30 p.m. Poetry reading -- Dorine Jennette and Valerie Fioravanti. Sacramento Poetry Center. Hosted by Frank Graham Dixon. Davis resident Jennette has published poems, essays, and reviews in The Journal, Ninth Letter, Coconut, Court Green, Memorious, Puerto del Sol, and the Georgia Review. She has a poetry collection, Grace by Degrees, coming out in 2010. Valerie Fioravanti writes fiction, essays, and prose poems. Her story collection, The Brooklyn Shuffle, was a finalist for the Tartt First Book Award. Her

 For his friends he was a tenacious fighter known for his fairness, and remembered for his love of the games. Former A-1 Comics Store Manager, Joe Guardalibene passed away but his strong example of the importance of knowing right from wrong lives on. Many of the kids who played in his game tournaments, including the popular Magic games, discovered a role model who inspired them beyond the game board. Joe was an important part of the Sacramento gaming community for over 8 years. He made many friends managing a local comic book and gaming store where he took great pride in keeping up to date on the latest popular games, comics, anime and was an expert on the market for older comic collectib

This summer let the Crocker Art Museum’s world-class art collection be your source for exploration, instruction and inspiration. The Crocker presents more than 20 educational opportunities this summer for children, teens and adults interested in expanding and exercising their artistic awareness and abilities. All classes are taught by highly skilled teaching artists and are designed to encourage students to unleash their imaginations while receiving formal lessons in color, line, texture and a variety of media. Summer Art Classes for children range from two-day workshops to week-long sessions, and this year marks the first series of Summer Art Classes for Adults. The Crocker’s Teen Action

About a year and half ago a group of teens from the city of Sacramento's Youth Commission got together and started to plan the ultimate place for teens to hang out. The group consists of 17 and 18 year old David Schenirer, Julian Nagler, Laura Manler, Alison Brown, Myria Arroyo and Molly Bailey. Not only would it be a place to spend time, but it would also serve as a way for students to get job experience, do homework, and offer smoothies rather than coffee, because as the teens found out, teens don't like coffee. The proposal is called Vibe - an urban youth lounge and career center.   In order to fund the initial opening and first two years of operation, fundraising efforts such as a ga

Some of you readers out there may have teenagers. Some of you may even be a teenager. There is a new study known as theory of mind, which explains scientifically, why teenagers don’t listen when they are supposed to. New research suggests that the ability to adopt the viewpoint of others is not fully developed in the teen years. Just as when you tell a child or toddler not to do something and they don’t fully comprehend the repercussion of their actions. This theory states that even in teen years, the mind is still developing, and most don’t understand why they shouldn’t behave a certain way. Iroise Dumontheil, a cognitive neuroscientist at University College London, UK, who led the new