The Founding of Youth C.A.R.E.S.

People may be familiar with Musselshell County Prevention. The project is a state program that analyses drug, alcohol, depression, and suicide among the youth within each county. Angie Mozqueda has been the specialist for MCP in our county. This past year, she has been working with the Jody Alise Foundation to create a strategy and long-term group for Musselshell County that will serve the youth of our community in the years ahead.

The Jody Alise Foundation, started by Jody Dahl, worked with Angie and together they have started the new group called Youth C.A.R.E.S. Jody's passion to help local youth further their opportunities, and Angie's mission to have mental and emotional health as well as prevention support for youth, was the perfect combination to make things happen. Looking to the future, the ladies feel that prevention needs to be locally and youth directed for the needs of our area. They have created a team with the current three youth ambassadors to be trained as Peer Mentors, as well as having them take part in decision making and ideas. Roundup High School counselor, Alicia Godfrey, is also a key participant in the group, providing the training for the Peer Mentors, and using her knowledge from working with many kinds of issues that young people go through, to help guide the program.

Jody Dahl's message is that, "Everyone needs strong mental and emotional health and resiliency for a promising future. Youth should be the ones guiding this program not the adults. When you put positivity into motion, things just blow up from there. Sharing positivity and building people up is what we want to do."

Alicia Godfrey, School Counciler, and Youth Cares Peer Mentor Trainer, states a goal of "Having a safe accepting environment where kids are there to support each other." "Hope" is what Alicia feels the project is bringing into the community.

Youth Ambassador, Thaiden says that "creating things for kids to do, and ideas that adults might not think about helps to involve people in getting away from drugs and alcohol."

Youth Ambassador, Caitlin states one of the strengths of having youth involved is that "Not only our age, but our personalities and individualities bring something to the group." Having a program that kids can rely on is something she is glad to be a part of.

The community response to the activities has been full of support, and the group has already been receiving donations. The group has big plans, and hopes to eventually have a community center to base out of. A place big enough to accommodate activities for the youth, and the community as a whole. A place that is accessible throughout the week, and on weekends.

The group has been working towards their goals at a swift pace. The October "Duck Hunt" has already become popular, catching the the attention of KTVQ-2 news, who reported on the Duck hunt as well as the newly formed program in Roundup. The team has also had game nights and "Movies Under the Stars" as activities for families. Perhaps other communities will take a page out of the Youth CARES book for their own communities.