ST. PAUL – On Aug. 8, a group of youth dressed in wizard costumes, immersed themselves in a game about solving the mystery of who overcame the magical protections guarding a powerful, magic artifact set in a magic school.
"It's kind of a kid version of a murder mystery," says Faithe Hunter, youth coordinator at St. Paul Regional Family & Community Support Services' (FCSS).
Hunter said the activity is part of the FCSS' youth drop-in initiative.
Although FCSS has now taken a break from the youth drop-in program until Aug. 23, it will be back on Aug. 26 with its "Stress Less Workshop."
When students are back in school, the program will shift back to its regular scheduling of 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. every Monday to Friday, providing youth aged 13 to 18 with a place to hang out and just have fun.
In a previous statement to Lakeland This Week, Lynn Smid, director of St. Paul Regional FCSS, said the program, "is just a great opportunity for [youth]... to have somewhere to be versus just being on their devices."
The program is also an attempt at positive early intervention, according to Smid, and a way for FCSS to build and reinforce its relationship with the youth. “If we can build those connections early with children and youth, the better positive results we see in our community,” she explained.
