TRUE NORTH YOUTH PROGRAM
navigating opportunities for teens
Voted Telluride Middle High School's 2022 "Friend of Education".
Awarded by the West End Pay It Forward Trust for Creating Safe Spaces for youth to be themselves and mentors to help them achieve their dreams.
PROGRAMS
Academic Tutoring & Support
TMHS BASE CAMP
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Free weekly academic tutoring is offered on Wednesdays from 3:15 - 5:00pm at the TMHS Library. We are also in the Norwood and Nucla High Schools every Thursday to provide support for high school students.
True North works with counselors and teachers to provide academic support for all students. We can arrange for private tutoring sessions as well. Stop by one of our locations and check in with us! This program correlates with many of our Career & College Readiness services as well. Visit our Academic Support Program page for a list of some of the many services we can provide!
Workforce Readiness & College Access including Scholarship Awards
This program helps set students up for success post-high school, and assists students in obtaining financial aid for colleges and vocational schools with an emphasis on obtaining scholarships and completing the FAFSA. Our college and scholarship advising is founded in the belief that all students should have equitable access to higher education, information, opportunities, resources, and support. By providing an accessible framework for navigating through high school, as well as encouraging independence and self advocacy, True North helps students successfully transition into adulthood.
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Every year, we offer a Teen Summer Jobs Fair, where students and local employers can network. Check out our Jobs Fair page to learn more!
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True North works with Telluride, Norwood and Nucla juniors and seniors to help guide them through the college and scholarship application process. TN offers individual coaching sessions to students seeking financial help for college. Visit the College Corner for more information and resources.
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RISING STARS Summer Bridge
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For 8th grade students rising into the 9th grade who are interested in making friends, having fun, and making the transition to high school smooth.
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Our mission is to foster relationships between rising high schoolers spanning three school districts and cultivate an understanding and familiarity of True North’s programs and services.
We provide opportunities for students to meet True North staff and volunteers, engage with their peers from other schools and participate in both in-school and out of-school activities leading up to high school. Check out the Rising Stars page for photos of all our excursions.
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Community Service Learning
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True North participants are encouraged to give back to their community with their time and talents.
Service activities executed as a group engage students in forming connections to their community and teaches them the importance of volunteering their time to benefit others in need. Service learning projects also teach teamwork, initiative and empathy.
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A few of the many projects True North students have completed are: building a wheelchair ramp for an elderly family in Paradox Valley, trail cleanups, helping a family in the Navajo Nation, snow shoveling for local churches and homebound individuals and helping to distribute food through our regional food banks.
Check out our service learning page for updates on community service opportunities.
Positive Youth Development through Outdoor Recreation
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True North offers numerous outdoor enrichment activities throughout the year to allow students to go beyond their comfort zone and learn new skills, enabling them to recreate safely, enjoy the wilderness, and become stewards of their natural environment.
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All of True North's outdoor programming is spent device-free to encourage students to connect to themselves, their peers and their surrounding environment.
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In addition to outdoor programming, True North offers many other free activities throughout the year for regional teens including but not limited to: movie nights, clothing exchanges, art programming and more!
Catering Apprenticeship Program
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True North's 16-week Catering Apprenticeship Program takes place at our commercial teaching kitchen at our teen center in Naturita, and a local professional caterer teaches students gourmet cooking and culinary skills, while program staff also prepare students to secure jobs in the culinary field and beyond.
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In addition to cooking, the participants study the National Restaurant Association’s Safe Food Handling textbook in preparation to be tested and earn their Safe Food Handler’s Certification by the end of the course. Participants gain the following industry skills: cooking, front and back of house experience, customer service, marketing, basic kitchen skills, health and nutrition, budgeting and catering services. Students are also given the opportunity to take an entrepreneurship course directed by the West End Economic Development Corporation. Students are invited to work a variety of catering events where they can reinforce their food sales and customer service abilities while receiving professional feedback.