Symposium comes together for second year

Douglas High senior Sandy Lopez was checking out the booths at the second annual all-district parent symposium while waiting to take her place with a panel of students to answer parents' questions on Wednesday night.

The 17-year-old was prepared for questions on any of several topics including teen sex, drugs, parties, communicating with parents and suicide.

"My point of view is that of a professional teen," the 17-year-old said. "We're prepared for all the topics."

Fellow panel member Lizzie Nunez said she was a little nervous.

"The questions are completely random," the 18-year-old said. "It's hard to prepare for it."

Both girls said the 50-minute question and answer session was something they trained for in advance.

Turnout was lighter this year than last, when more than 400 people participated in the symposium.

But Partnership for Community Resources Director Cheryl Bricker pointed out that many of the things that brought people in last year have quieted down this year.

Douglas High counselor Kris Robison estimated the turnout at about 100 people.

"It was a more intimate crowd than last year," she said. "The teen panel was amazing with their candor."

Besides the student panel, ASPIRE teacher and author Miki Trujillo offered a panel on teen behavior choices.

A panel on suicide prevention and awareness by Jodi Wass and Debbie Posnien offered more information on depression and warning signs than it did last year.

Bricker said the symposium is the partnership's town hall meeting.

"We know we can't reach all the parents in the county," she said. "We hope they'll take the information and go home and talk to other parents, and pass the word."

The symposium provides parents with ways to deal with their teenage children.

"It gives them more tools in their toolbelt," Robison said.