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BlogJuly 10, 2025

How Early Stress Exposure Can Increase Risk for Teen Substance Use

Teen substance use continues to rise, posing a significant threat to adolescent health. While many factors contribute to this behavior, early stress exposure is one of the most influential. Teens who experience stress at a young age, whether through family issues, abuse, or other hardships, often struggle with emotional regulation. As they navigate their teenage …

BlogFebruary 25, 2013June 15, 2019

Welcome Coleen!

Youth Connections would like to welcome our new director, Coleen Smith. Coleen was born and raised in Western Montana. She attended Gonzaga University and Montana State University – Bozeman, majoring in marketing. After leaving Montana for 15 years she returned to Helena in 1999. She most recently worked for the Montana Chamber of Commerce and …

Youth Volunteer of the Month – Logan McNeil

Logan McNeil is a junior at Helena High and a community volunteer. He is active in 4-H as a Lewis and Clark County Ambassador, Junior Overall Superintendent and Teen Leader. Over the past several years, his teen leader projects have included writing grants to acquire and plant the trees for the Lewis & Clark County …

BlogFebruary 25, 2013June 15, 2019

Adult Volunteer of the Month – Dana Toole

Dana Toole is an advocate for some of Montana’s most vulnerable population, children. Through her work with the Montana Department of Justice, Dana works to oversee many programs that give voice to children who have been victims of crimes. Her caring and compassionate manner coupled with her strong leadership qualities has lead Children’s Advocacy Centers …

BlogFebruary 25, 2013June 15, 2019

Find Your Spot in Helena

The first month of the year was an exciting one for the Find Your Spot campaign. We partnered with the City Parks and Recreation to highlight their high school broomball activities, which will be going on every Friday night at Memorial Park. We also partnered with Narrate Church to provide a free night of skiing …

Read More “Find Your Spot in Helena”

BlogFebruary 25, 2013June 15, 2019

Preventing Violence – What are we doing?

“Above the Fight” campaign aims to reduce fighting between youth in the schools as well as community. The good news is most kids don’t fight. We are reaching out to the kids who do and also letting the kids that don’t know they are in the majority. Above the Fight will be featured in the …

BlogFebruary 25, 2013June 15, 2019

Evaluation Committee Highlights

The July-Sept. 2012 Quarterly Indicator Report shows the following trends: Alcohol• Arrests of youths age 14-17 have been steadily declining, from 249 in 2007 to 81 for in 2012.• There was only one DUI arrest of a youth age 14-17 in 2012. This is a dramatic decrease from 19 in 2005. Tobacco• Twenty middle-school students …

BlogFebruary 26, 2013June 15, 2019

Youth Connections Board Member – Jim Opitz

I am pleased to be a part of the Youth Connections Board. The past eighteen months have afforded me the opportunity to meet so many people from the Helena community who truly are committed to improve the lives of our youth. All share a belief that our children and grandchildren deserve to grow and mature …

BlogFebruary 26, 2013June 15, 2019

Staff – Gladys Walter – Americorp Montana Compass Compact Vista

My name is Gladys Walter and I am an AmeriCorps* VISTA with Title 1 Helena Public Schools. I am originally from the small Caribbean Island of St. Maarten/St. Martin. I lived there for 16 years before moving to Miramar, FL to complete my high school education. After high school, I attended the University of Florida …

BlogFebruary 26, 2013June 15, 2019

College Goal Montana: Who needs to fill out the FAFSA? EVERYONE!

It’s almost time to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and Student Assistance Foundation (SAF) wants to remind Montana students and families that everyone who wants to attend college in the fall should get ready. “All too often families opt out of completing the FAFSA,” said Rhonda Safford, who has coordinated the …

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