The working title for a new resiliency building youth group sponsored by Kevin’s Community Center (KCC) is “Newtown Youth Change The World.” And judging by its second meeting, it will.

KCC Event Manager Peter Taweh and Dr John Woodall, who is on KCC’s Board of Directors, met with a group of high school graduating seniors on June 2 at C.H. Booth Library. It was the group’s second meeting since recently forming, and it was its last meeting before the school year ends.

The meeting started with an introduction of what KCC is from Taweh and a resiliency exercise led by Woodall. Then the meeting was opened for students to share ideas on how they can support the community.

After a number of ideas were shared, one idea was a home run: A kickball fundraiser event for this summer. More information was promised to follow.

The students learned that KCC was, as its website also shares, “founded in 2002 as a tax-exempt, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization by Dr and Mrs Z. Michael Taweh, in memory of their son Kevin, to address the health care crisis in Connecticut for uninsured and underinsured adult residents of Newtown, Bridgewater, and Roxbury.”

Peter Taweh told the students the history of its programs, efforts, and some of the places it has called home. According to Taweh, KCC is trying to expand its outreach and resiliency programs and more.

When Woodall spoke he explained the youth group was formed out of a desire to offer Newtown students who would have been of the age to attend Sandy Hook Elementary School at the time of the tragedy in 2012 with the strength and skills they need — to take what they have been through and turn it into strength.

“We call it resiliency,” said Woodall.

There were roughly 15 students in attendance for the meeting, and Woodall asked them all to follow him into another room for the resiliency exercise.

The group surrounded a table and Woodall asked them to each hold up two fingers. Then, after they did, he asked them if they could pick up that table with just those two fingers.

Then Woodall sat on it, and the group picked up the table.

“And now I am surfing,” Woodall said while stretching out his arms.

Strengths Of Resilience

The students said they did not expect to be able to pick up the table, and instead found it was light, “like a feather.”

“These are core strengths of resilience that we are talking about,” Woodall said, adding that one of the first things to know about resilience is that an environment that is trustworthy and safe supports it.

He also spoke about the importance of unity, and asked the students, “How do you build unity at a time when the world is falling a part?”

With that lesson still fresh, the students returned to the first room, sat around tables with Taweh, and brainstormed ways they can change the world, locally.

One student spoke about attending a local Public Building & Site Commission meeting to voice their opinions, another spoke about litter and pollution. With each new topic the students took turns thinking of ways to support the idea and actions that could be taken.

One student said there are a lot of empty stores that he would prefer to see as places for teens.

“There’s not a lot for teenagers to do in this town,” another student shared in support of the idea.

Then the idea about hosting a fundraising event to support KCC, all of its efforts, and hopes to expand was suggested, immediately building traction among the group.

It quickly morphed into an idea to hold a day-long sport event.

“I love that idea, what sport?” Taweh said. Kickball was the resounding favorite.

Students offered ideas to sell T-shirts and food, and host a raffle. They talked about getting more volunteers, and how to promote the idea. The group also began looking at the calendar and hoping to create an event for Sunday, June 24.

Although the date, times, and details are still to be determined, the group was motivated.

“We could definitely get this started, get this rolling,” said Taweh.

The teens left, still talking about the next steps to make the event a reality as they walked out of the library. More details will be shared in future pages of The Newtown Bee as the event comes together.

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.