The biggest benefit many of the teens get, according to Executive Director Linda Dodds, is covered in the first class about their “true colors,” which explores who they are as individuals, their strengths and how they interact with others.
“That’s probably the biggest tool that we have, being able to help kids identify that they have incredible strengths they can rely on,” she said, and it gives them greater confidence in their relationships with everyone from family and friends to teachers and employers.
Because C.U.D.D.L.E. has been in Page for 20 years, many of the referrals to the Survival Essentials Program are by word-of-mouth. Others come from Tse’ Yaato’ High School, the alternative high school in Page that is part of the Coconino County Accommodation School District.
Providing this program in the past year has been challenging, said Dodds, as the pandemic has prevented large classes with dozens of teens. Instead, there have been lots of one-on-one mentoring sessions.
The pandemic has also taken a toll on the youths in the program. Teens are feeling more isolated than ever and the economic pressures caused by COVID-19 have made jobs even scarcer than usual. Dodds said that many of the high schoolers she sees are frustrated, angry and feeling disconnected.
At times like that, the mentors in this program aren’t just a source for information and basic skills. Instead, they become a support network helping youths get through current difficulties while still keeping on eye on what they need for a brighter tomorrow.
Or as Dodds put it: “We have to help them see the potential so that they don’t just give up and feel like they are sunk before they even begin.”
