by Jelysa Hernandez, LSW, Pathways Clinician and PALS Club Advisor What did you do over the summer? A familiar question for children everywhere. If you are a teenager, the answer isn’t always very exciting. However, if you went to Pathways summer program it would be. Our participants can say they met new people, found a best friend, learned yoga and kickboxing, painted an jungle landscape, saw life size sculptures, went to a water park and an amusement park, learned about suicide and met a therapy dog, learned a love of theater or dance and most importantly found their ability to be silly. This year, camp was composed of 47 Carteret youth between the ages of 13-18 who came daily for four weeks from 9:30-2:30. Participants pay a small registration fee and do not have to pay any additional fees for weekly trips. A delicious and nutritious lunch is also provided free...

Laurie Hernandez is the 16-year-old gymnast, gold medalist, best-selling author and “Dancing With The Stars” winner. She will be at Pathways, School-Based Youth Services program at Carteret High School on Thursday, March 23rd from 4:30pm to 9pm to meet and greet area residents. Attendees who pre-purchase Laurie’s book “I Got This: To Gold and Beyond” (HarperCollins) can have their picture taken with the star Olympian. Advance Book purchase from BOOKENDS is required for entry to the event. Children 6 years and above must pre-purchase a book from BOOKENDS to meet Laurie and get a photo. Parent(s) can accompany child in line. Only those who purchase a book from BOOKENDS will be allowed in the photo. Books can be purchased online at: www.mkt.com/bookends or by calling Bookends 201-445-0726 before March 21st. Books are $20 each plus a processing fee. A portion of the proceeds benefit Wellspring Center for Prevention, a non-profit, community-based...

Pathways School Based Youth Services program at Carteret High School is invested in the Fathers Matter campaign and has received a grant from the Office of Faith Based Initiatives to bolster the father focused programming. There is a growing body of research and data which demonstrates that a father’s presence in a young persons’ life has a great impact. The research concludes that children with fathers present have fewer behavioral problems, do better in school and are better off economically. This information is so vitally important because of the swiftly ascending numbers of fatherless families in this country. Within a decade, two parent household dropped by 1.2 million. The result, according to the US Census, is that 1 in 3 children live in father-absent homes. An active, involved, and positive father role has numerous effects on all aspects of a young person’s life. Many feel that the role fathers play in...