I started Empowerteen the summer of 2019 between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. My freshman year, I started at an academically rigorous school and had to form an entirely new group of friends. I struggled to keep up academically and was going through what I considered to be my “ugly duckling” phase. I spent the entire school year feeling insecure. The summer after my freshman year, I attended an Empowerteen retreat. My time at the retreat was like going to a safe space. What contributed to this was the atmosphere so carefully crafted by Dr. Paula. We spent a lot of time in nature, and the concept of time didn’t exist. It was also made clear that this was a judgment-free space. I felt I didn’t have to worry about any of the negativity that seemed to cling to me everywhere else. It was also the place where I was introduced to, or reintroduced to, concepts that serve me today—setting boundaries with others, self-care, and self-awareness.
The next thing I attended was a New Year’s vision board party. While socializing and creating a pretty board, I was able to turn all the abstract thoughts in my head into something tangible. I had so much fun that after attending that party, I’ve made it a habit of making a vision board every year. Not for the sake of fulfilling everything on it, but to have reminders of what I want to do in the future. It’s also nice to look back on the year and reflect on my progress towards the goals and aspirations I created.
The third event I attended was Empowerteen’s virtual retreat during quarantine! Despite that one being held via Zoom, it was still impactful. It solidified the lessons from the first retreat I attended. By the time I entered my Junior year of high school, post-Zoom classes and isolation, I was a different person. I was becoming more confident and trying to be kinder and patient with myself and the people around me. I believe Empowerteen was a key factor in that progression.
Lastly, the summer before senior year, I was once again attending a retreat, but this time as a mentor at a middle school retreat! I was able to pay it forward, toward a cause that had become very important to me. I realized, through my experiences and experiences of those around me, that even in the most ideal circumstances, being a teenager is not easy. I began to understand the value of a program like Empowerteen. The path from pre-teen years to adulthood is a formative period. They start considering, on some level, who they want to be, where they belong, and it’s best to set them off on that journey with as much useful knowledge as possible . I truly believe in Empowerteen’s mission, and I’m especially happy I attended that first retreat all those years ago! I hope everyone involved in the program gets as much benefit from it as I have!
WRITTEN BY: Kris Sanders, Empowerteen Creative Writer Intern
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