Northborough Youth Commission outlines Healthy Relationships Month, digital-wellness pilot and after-school programs

The Town of Northborough Youth Commission used its Feb. 3 meeting to preview multiple youth-focused programs and outreach. Staff and commissioners described Healthy Relationships Month programming at the high school, including DA’s office presentations to 11th graders this week, lunch-table outreach, an on-campus raffle, a community art exhibit and a virtual parent presentation scheduled for March 5. The commission reported receiving a $600 grant from a women’s club to support the Healthy Relationships initiative.

Members discussed a clothing/spirit drive that had mixed collection levels across school bins and agreed to extend the drive deadline to March 1; staff will update flyers and ask schools to publicize the extension by adding it to the week-ahead announcements and morning bulletins. Commissioners volunteered to pick up donations and to track contributions by receiving school to send thank-you notes.

Commissioners also described a MetroWest digital-wellness collaborative that will pilot work in Northborough: staff will inventory existing school programs and policies, convene focus groups with teens and parents, and use multi-tiered supports to identify gaps. The commission said Girls United will run as a six-week, after-school program for up to 10 girls (2:15–3:15 p.m.), and registration will open at the end of the month; organizers expect a waiting list. Staff outlined drop-in hours for youth services (1st/3rd/5th 3–5 p.m.; 2nd/4th 5–7 p.m.) and reported a high-school intern assisting with research and health communications through the spring semester.

Members noted the MetroWest youth-health survey includes social-media, gaming and gambling questions, which will help inform whether to add programming on social-media addiction. The commission encouraged students and families to subscribe to the newsletter and to use school and student-media channels for promotion.