There's a new mural being created in the Virginia Avenue Park Teen Center in Santa Monica, California. It's special, specifically because it's not being created by a professional artist, but by the young people of the center.

"The effort is part of a $750,000 federally funded program dubbed 'Night Bridges', which includes weeks' worth of after-hours tutoring, counseling, life coaching and other activities. Launched three months ago, the program is part of a larger, three-year effort to reduce gang and youth violence in Santa Monica."

If the program is successful, it may serve as a model for other youth programs. Read more online.

A Directory of residential treatment centers, teen drug rehabs, and other resources for adults and parents of teenagers struggling with alcohol or drug abuse can be found Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com. Adolescent drug treatment programs can help get your teen's life back on track. Learn about the myth's of alcohol and teen drug abuse at AdolescentSubstanceAbuse.com.

Labels: counseling, teen_center, tutoring