Teens Speak Out community meeting moved to April 13 at Columbus HS

The TSO/Oval (Teens Speak Out/Our Voices Are Louder Together) community meeting has been changed to April 13 at the Columbus High School.
The meeting is aimed at answering questions about the group, which has been in existence for a handful of months.
Founded by teens for teens, the group is designed to create a place where young people can talk about subjects they may be hesitant to discuss with family and other adults. No subject is off limits but there are rules, such as not allowing anyone to judge or ridicule anyone else. Parents are allowed at meetings only if the kids are comfortable.
“It is the primary mission of this program to allow open conversations as an added outlet for them, and to improve communication skills so that no child feels that they don’t have a voice,” said program director
Gennifer Pare’ serves as the program’s director and brings more than 15 years experience working with young people’s behavioral and addiction issues. Her role is to be an impromptu sounding board and voice of reason. The idea was brought to her by a local counselor through a concerned mother. Pare’ has a counseling background and has studied behavior for more than 30 years.
Approximately 10 other adults around the county have signed on to help as needed and the group has received a warm reception by the schools it has approached thus far.
The group meets every Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Little Stone Church on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Second Avenue in Columbus. A Facebook page maintained daily includes activities, poems, quotes of the day and more.