Camden, Maine, tries to create a community for every generation

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December 1, 2003 | | Camden, ME

Morale was low in the five-town community of Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Appleton, and Hope, Maine, following several destructive incidents involving teens. To rebuild community ties and find ways to support its young people, concerned residents and parents decided to take action through study circles.

This fall, more than 140 students, residents, teachers, and parents took part in study circles to help build a community where teens can thrive. Students and adults co-facilitated each of the 11 study circles, basing their discussions on A Community for All Generations -- Teens and Adults Working Together, a new discussion guide published by the Study Circles Resource Center.

Participants in the study circles not only wanted to help youth succeed in the community, they also wanted to bridge differences between students at the new regional high school. For the first time, students from the five different towns attend the same school, leading to increased tensions between students and incidents of harassment between different cliques.

"It's challenging to create a culture within the school that feels like a five-town culture," said Dyan Dyer, a volunteer study circle coordinator.

On Nov.21, more than 200 people gathered in the regional high school's cafeteria to present ideas that came out of the study circle program. At this action forum, study circles participants presented their top action ideas, which included creating a teen coffeehouse, implementing service learning internships, and developing an intramural sports program for the community. Action teams will meet in December to begin implementing the ideas.

Everyone at the action forum agreed that the teen coffeehouse needed to be created through student input and that adults should only play a supporting role in its development.

"I'm hoping we can find a warehouse that needs a funky paint job," said Meg Sideris, a former school board member (The Camden Herald).

Recognizing the success of the study circle program, the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce awarded volunteer study circle coordinators Deb Meehan and Dyan Dyer a community service award "For Providing a Vehicle for Improved Communication."

Learn more: Youth Issues