Laraway Staff to present at VCORP Training Academy

     Laraway staffers Greg Stefanski and Rhonda Stuart will present a workshop entitled "The Four Pillars of Wellness" at the 1st Annual Residential Staff Training Academy sponsored by the Vermont Coalition of Residential Providers (VCORP).  The Academy will be help on Friday, May 3rd in Burlington.  Greg, Executive Director, and Rhonda, Human Resources Director, will guide participants in exploring the connection between between wellness, supervision, professional development, and self care.
     For more information and registration information, please visit http://vcorp.eventbrite.com

Laraway receives Green Mountain Fund Grant

     Laraway recently received a generous grant from the Green Mountain Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation.  This fund, over the years, has made grants for recreational items and experiences for the children and youth we serve.
     Staff members shared some of the ways the Green Mountain Fund makes a difference in our work:
     "Field trips to the Fairbanks Museum, Green Mountain Audubon Center, and Burlington City Arts provided our students the opportunity to engage in learning activities in the community that celebrate local Vermont culture and history."  Julie Landry, Laraway School Director
     "Benefits of planned group events include team-building, enhanced peer relationships, incentives for positive choices and exposure to new experiences.  This is beneficial for all children.  This is particularly beneficial for youth in foster care."  Morgain Raleigh, Activities Coordinator
     We remain grateful to the Green Mountain Fund for their generosity!

iKIDarod Comes to Laraway!

     Alaska has its famous trail sled dog race---the Iditarod.  Laraway has its iKIDarod!  Four teams comprised of kids and staff from Laraway School built homemade sleds from old skis and pieces of wood.  They raced along a snowy trail on our property.
     Team members took turns pulling their "musher" while stopping and changing roles at designated stops.  Each stop presented an obstacle, a task to be completed---solving a math problem, completing a crossword, and even quick-changing socks---before racing to the finish line.
     "We do it because it's a great way to build school spirit," says Dave Ward, Laraway's Outdoor Adventure Education Teacher.
    

Laraway Hosts Dr. Martha Strauss, Ph.D

     Laraway is pleased to host Dr. Martha Strauss, Ph.D who will present:  "Undoing Aloneness: Strategies for Co-Regulation with Traumatized Adolescents and Families" on Friday, March 29th.  This agency-wide training will be held at Lamoille Union High School in Hyde Park, Vermont.  Although registration is now closed, we are pleased that staff from some of our community partner organizations will also be in attendance.
     Dr. Strass is a professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire, and adjunct instructor in psychiatry at Dartmouth Medical School.
     "Martha is a passionate and engaging speaker," says Sarah Squirrell, Laraway Backpack Program Director.  "From the astonishingly simple to super complex, her work links the core elements of working with youth who have experienced trauma and our roles as helpers and as a community."

Welcome Spring!

Spring arrived at Laraway with a blast of snow.  We've cleared paths and are savoring the "white stuff" knowing it will soon yield to green fields and gardens.  Staff and kids are taking full advantage---creating super speedy sledding routes on the hill outside our classrooms.  At Laraway, the learning continues---indoors and out.

Laraway Launches New Website

After careful research and discussion with staff, kids, volunteers and community members, Laraway Youth & Family Services is delighted to launch its new website!