Participants in the School Community Partnership met together with representatives of the Youth CHOICES coalition on February 4, 2014, one of a series of combined meetings that Partners sponsors, at the Tradewinds at BMC Durfee High School. CHOICES Co-chair Michaela Hetzler welcomed  participants from more than a dozen human service organizations who were joined by school adjustment and guidance staff as well as  school resource officers and representatives of the courts. The group shared updates of current services for youth and then broke into small groups to discuss the 40 developmental assets that youth need to succeed in preparation for a future  presentation by the RAPPP Program. The two groups will continue to identify available services, work toward addressing gaps in the community, and creating stronger relationships to ultimately service the health, safety, education, and overall development of Fall River youth. Click here for a two-minute video of the meeting. Click here for photos of the first combined meeting. For more information, contact Michaela Hetzler at 508.675.8100, Ext. 1390, or Annemarie Holly at 508-679-0922.

(Top row, left) Committee co-chair and B.M.C. Durfee High School Adjustment Counselor Michaela Hetzler welcomes participants to the meeting, including Fall River Police School Resource Officers Jason Pacheco, Marybeth Buglio and Mike Fogarty. (Top row, right) Officer Pacheco talks with School Department staff member Maria Kennedy.before the meeting begins. (Row two, center) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard talks with Gary Marden of the UMassD Leduc Center for Civic Engagement Program while Fall River Housing Authority Youth and Family Coordinator Joey DaSilva passes a sign-in sheet to Durfee School Adjustment Counselor Gretchen Creesy and Allison Fanning of Family Service Association before the meeting begins. (Row two, right) SCI Intern Brian Moses and Life Together Fellow Phillip York work on taking minutes for the meeting. (Row three, left) Committee co-chair Annemarie Holly talks with co-chair Michaela Hetzler during the group exercise that called upon participants to review the list of 40 developmental assets that youth need to succeed. (Row three, right) Barbara Allard of the Fall River Schools Parent Information Center talks about some of the resources that the School Department is providing. (Bottom row, center and right) Mrs. Holly listens to suggestions from the group and United Neighbors Executive Director Wendy-Garf Lipp, center, shares some of her ideas with Libby Phelan of Morton Middle School, right.