The Connection Drop-in Youth Center: The Breeching of Cliques

The Connection Drop-in Youth Center numbers have grown what seems exponentially overnight. At the start of the school year, two distinct social groups were established: punks and gamers. They mostly kept to themselves. One group would occupy one Xbox while the other hovered around Guitar Hero. Both groups were invisible to the other. A quick observation would make it clear that these two groups act the same way even in school, where cliques are formed and nearly impossible to break through.

What could feel discouraging was only looked upon as an opportunity for our staff since our mission rebels against this social act. We encouraged all students to participate in community activities together. These kids sat with one another to pack lunches for the homeless in Denver. They began talking to one another while painting cupcakes for our November benefit event. Slowly, but surely, their comfort levels expanded to accept one another. Their cliques are successfully being disbanded.

Now, looking around, we can hear a girl with a pixie haircut and dark eyeliner joking around with a boy with a graphic t-shirt of a game system controller. At The Connection, cliques are fading away, we are simply a group of individuals with similar interests growing and learning together.

Staff at The Connection has also been invited to attend school events from the students. We have gone to the high school close by to watch the students in choir concerts, plays, and the big homecoming football game. It has been an extremely fun-filled journey for our staff as relationships continue to grow with the students. Not only have our numbers grown, but the creation of a family has begun.