teens

WE SENT REPORTER Ben Anderson to Service High School to find out what teenage boys have to say about being a man. He spoke with seven teen boys, ages 15-18, asking the following questions:

• When do you become a man?
• How do men provide for their families?
• What if your wife makes more money than you?
• Would you ever be a stay-at-home dad?

This story originally featured on Show 21: Dads These Days.

WE WANTED TO know what teenagers had to say about love and marriage, so we asked: do you think it's possible to be in love when you're a teenager? Have you ever been in love? Do you think you'll get married - why or why not?

KTD teen reporter Aviva Hirsch asked her high school peers and got some very interesting answers!

This story was originally featured in  Show 20: Love & Family Relationships.

Guest, Travis Erickson, Anchorage regional manager for the Office of Children's Services answers a question from a listener about feeding foster infants. He also explains how fostering teens is completely different than caring for younger children in foster care, echoing Metivier's comment from the previous post regarding the great need for foster homes for teens.

Amanda Metivier of Facing Foster Care in Alaska says that there is an ongoing need for foster home placements for teenagers. She explains why this need exists and how unplaced teens will end up in emergency placement situations like juvenile detention centers or group homes instead of with supportive families.

Good nutrition matters in all phases of our life. From pregnancy, infancy, childhood, growing teens and adulthood, discussing what to eat and how much is always a helpful review and that's what we're doing in this episode. We're talking about eating right while pregnant, nourishing newborns and teaching children to have healthy eating habits. Plus, we'll answer a slew of caller questions ranging from when/how to wean to introducing variety into a toddler's diet, to coping with picky eaters of all ages.

IN-STUDIO GUEST: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy in the studio to discuss all things nutritious is...

• Leslie Shallcross, a registered dietician and Professor with UAF Cooperative Extension Service's Health, Home and Family Development program. 

RESOURCES FROM THIS PROGRAM:

• WIC (Women, Infants & Children)
• UAF Cooperative Extension Service

FEATURED STORIES:

- Local farming in Alaska - Local growers like Glacier Valley Farm CSA and Lunachick Mountain Farmstead produce and supply fresh vegetables, dairy and meat throughout the state. KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran paid a visit to these growers, and also to Organic Alaska, to learn more about local, sustainable farming in Alaska. [Full story + pix]

- Food for the hungry - The Foodbank of Alaska located in Anchorage, is the hub of the anti-hunger system for the state, distributing 6 million pounds of food annually. KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales dropped by to learn about their work and also, the ways that Alaskans can help feed other Alaskans this holiday season. Local anti-hunger activist, Kokayi Nosakhere, also weighs in on the topic and tells about his By 2015: America campaign. [Full story]

- What teens eat for lunch - Teen contributor Aviva Hirsch asked her peers at West Anchorage High School what they eat and where they go for lunch.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PRINCIPALS, and security officers deal with bullying and other discipline issues on a daily basis – but at one area high school, students help resolve those kinds of issues. Chugiak High School is the only high school in the Anchorage School District with a peer mediation program.

As KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran reports, most disputes come down to miscommunication.

This story was originally featured on Show 10: Bullying.

It's PFD season and with every adult and child in Alaska $1281 wealthier, we thought it the perfect time to take a look at raising financially-fit children. We'll explore saving for college, structuring allowances and smart investing strategies that will benefit the whole family.

IN-STUDIO GUEST: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy in the studio to share her excellent family financial advice  is...

• Neale S. Godfrey, money expert, frequent Oprah guest, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Money Doesn't Grow on Trees as well as 16 other books, and founder of The Children's Financial Network. 

FEATURED STORIES:

- Teens in the real-world workforce - The Youth Hiring Center, a division of the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, helps clients to discover their career potential and offers free certification training in high-growth job fields like healthcare and construction - all while teens are still enrolled in high school. KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with both career guides and teens about how they're getting a leg up on their futures. Contact the hiring center for an appointment by calling them at 334-2587, or via email.

- The bank within a high school - Teenagers are learning how to manage their money at Bank Within East, a Wells Fargo branch at East Anchorage High School. KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran reports on these students who are earning school credit while also gaining a financial education.

- How will you spend your PFD? - Teen correspondent, Aviva Hirsch, asked her peers at West Anchorage High School how they will spend (or save) their PFDs this year, while KRUA reporter, Cameron Mackey, asked UAA students what they will do with theirs.

A STATEWIDE EFFORT, the Stand Up, Speak Up campaign is led by Alaskan teens, to promote the idea that respect for yourself, and for others, is an important foundation for avoiding domestic violence in personal relationships. The campaign is a joint effort between the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Public Safety, and the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

KTD Producer, Sarah Gonzales, spoke with two teenagers, Bo and Isis, who were involved in this campaign, as well as Lori Grassgreen who helped the teens put together this positive message that has been making an impact all throughout the state.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month so this time on Kids These Days! we are exploring the programs and meeting the individuals who are working to combat the high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA) in our state.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy are two guests who address the need for public awareness about these crimes while speaking about prevention measures and offeing advice for victims or those who want to help someone in need.

• Katie TePas (at left) is the the state's DV/SA Response Coordinator.

• Sgt. Cindi Stanton (at right) is the head of the Crimes Against Children Unit at the Anchorage Police Department.

** If you are in crisis and need help, call 911 or click here for statewide hotline numbers that will link you to services and shelters in your area.

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS & CHILDREN:

The Alaska Council on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault and the UAA Justice Center partnered to produce the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey (opens as a PDF) released last week.

• Alaska 2-1-1
• Alaska Cares
• Alaska Native Justice Center
• Alaska Office of Victims' Rights
• Alaska's Children's Advocacy Centers
• Standing Together Against Rape (STAR Alaska)
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children
• Alaska Children's Alliance
• Anchorage Police Department
• Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
• Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Wired Safety
• Net Smartz
• Web Wise Kids
• Safe Kids
• Obtaining a DV Protective Order (restraining order) how-to videos in English, Spanish, Yup'ik

FEATURED STORIES:

- Staying SAFE in Dillingham - Ginger Baim, the executive director of Safe and Fear-Free Environment (SAFE) in Dillingham shared her point of view on the state's new Choose Respect initiative as a professional who has been combating DV/SA in Alaska for 35 years.

- Free services for victims - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran spoke with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) to report on the pro-bono legal and victim services available throughout the state. [Listen]

- Alaska's teens stand up against DV/SA - KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales spoke with two teens, Bo and Isis, and one adult, Lori Grassgreen, the prevention director at the ANDVSA who worked to create the Stand Up, Speak Up! media campaign produced in partnership with the Departments of Health and Social Services and Public Safety. The goal of the campaign is to promote respect - for self and others - as a means to ending interpersonal violence among teens. [Listen]

** If you are in crisis and need help, call 911 or click here for statewide hotline numbers that will link you to services and shelters in your area.

With winter just around the corner, we take a look at the multitude of indoor activities for kids and families to enjoy throughout the snowy season - from museums to playgrounds to libraries to hidden gems throughout the Anchorage area.

IN-STUDIO GUESTS: Joining KTD Host Shana Sheehy in the studio are two guests who know a lot about seasonal recreation.

• "Dr. KTD" Michelle Laufer is a local pediatrician and author of Anchorage With Kids: Family Fun in the Snow or Sun.

• Margaret Timmerman is a program coordinator for Anchorage Parks and Rec.

Check out our list of fun things to do in the winter!

Want more Dr. KTD advice? Visit the Dr. KTD Collection for more advice from our resident pediatrician.

FEATURED STORIES:

- Touring a trio of fun kid spots! - KTD Contributor Jessica Cochran takes us on an audio tour of some of the most popular indoor recreation areas in Anchorage. [Listen]

- What do Alaskan teens do in winter? - KTD Producer Sarah Gonzales learns what the teens at Service High School are up to in the winter.

- A local mom's favorite winter outdoor activities - AKontheGo mom, Erin Kirkland, shares some of her favorite cold weather activities. [Listen]

- Also on this program, 26-year old listener, Abram, responds to last week's Delayed Adulthood story by offering his opposing view.