Peer Education
Executive Board
Middle School Night
Advisory Board
SHO Committee
Real Talk Performers
Programs Ran by and at the Teen Center
The Teen Center being such a controlled environment is a perfect place to hold different meetings for programs that the Teen Center supports, so we like to keep those larger programs prescheduled. For the list of events created by Mary Jo Podgurski for September- December, 2017 click here.
Program When Where Ages/Grade Peer Education Wednesdays, 5-7pm Teen Center Ages 14-18 Executive Board When Called On Teen Center Grades 9-12 Middle School Night Thursdays, 3-7pm Teen Center Grades 6-8 Advisory Board Scheduled dates Washington Hospital Grades 9-12 SHO Committee Scheduled dates Washington Hospital Grades 9-12 Real Talk Performers undecided until begins Teen Center Ages 14-18 Peer Education
Peer Education is a program created by Mary Jo Podgurski meant to help inform teenagers and give them the trust they need and deserve.
The Peer Education group is open to all available to enter the Teen Center, and is optional to continue going if you don't wish to. Every week on Wednesdays at the Teen Center there is a meeting held from 5pm to 7pm by either Mary Jo herself, or by one of the trained Coordinators, the coordinators running the meeting only occurs when Mary Jo is out at a meeting, or just generally out of state. The persons who go to the Teen Center on Wednesdays are ordered pizza and drinks, whether or not they are just there for fun or an attendee.
To get involved with Peer Education please attend to the meetings at the Common Ground Teen Center for Peer Education
Executive Board
Executive Board is one of the much more selective groups from the Advisory of Adolescence. The Executive Board consists of the students, who contain staff and some Peer Educators, to decide on the different possible cases that could happen in the Teen Center, or with people involved in the groups. The Executive Board is only used when they are called on by Mary Jo for a "peer jury." The meetings are usually held at the Teen Center, however if there is an event going on there during the meeting, she possibly holds it in different places.
To get involved with the Executive Board please contact Mary Jo Podgurski personally.
Middle School Night
Middle School Night is a program that was created in 2016 to try and encourage the children of younger ages to be able to go to the Teen Center. On Thursdays, the youth at the Center have the option to go there as a safer place. somewhere to get help with their school work, or just somewhere to generally enjoy.
To get involved in Middle School Night please contact Mary Jo personally, or go to the Common Ground Teen Center during operating hours.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board is mainly an in-school program, where once a month on the second Tuesday of the month the guidance counselor will drive the members to the Washington Hospital for a meeting of Advisory Board members.
The goal of Advisory Board is to plan out the Youth Conference, held every May with a predetermined theme.
Year Youth Conference Theme 2018 Cyberbullying 2017 Civil Discourse 2016 Smash the Stereotypes! 2015 Exploring Culture 2014 Respect for Older Adults 2013 Gender Identity 2012 Bullying Prevention 2011 Universal Access and Human Rights To get involved with the SHO Committee please speak to your schools guidance counselor.
SHO Committee
The SHO Committee holds a very important roll for the Academy of Adolescent Health. The SHO Committee is a large group of students who help, Amy Gough-Podgurski run and plan the Washington's Got Talent fund raiser event, which is the largest source of income for the entire Academy. The planning mainly happens during school hours in the Washington Hospital's Conference Room on the second Wednesday of every month from October to February.
To get involved with the SHO Committee please speak to your schools guidance counselor.
Real-Talk Performers
The Real-Talk Performers is a group open for any teenager to join. The Real-Talk Performers travel to different events to help teach either adults or young people different things to help educate them. The goal of a Real-Talk Performer is not to change somebody's opinion, but only to inform them so they can make that choice themselves.
The Performers do have to practice for their lines to be sure they know them and understand how their character should feel.
In the past Real-Talk Performers plays have peaked the interest of many different adults causing trips to places to visit, like Baltimore, Maryland or Penn State University.
To get involved with the Real-Talk Performers please speak to one of the main staff of the Common Ground Teen Center.
