The teens in the CHOICE program at Juneau-Douglas High School(JDHS) – which targets students in need of additional attention in order to graduate – participate in Alaska Teen Institutes, a series of two-day retreats which teach healthy lifestyle choices in relation to substance abuse, relationships, conflict resolution and more. The institute facilitators are CHOICE teachers and adult community volunteers.

Fall Semester Retreats

Team Building. This retreat kicks off the CHOICE retreat season. The freshman class is taken to the Eagle Valley Center (EVC) where staff members from SAGA run the students through their well-regarded ropes courses. The first day features low ropes activities and team-building games to allow the students time to build toward the more challenging second day. The second day focus is on the high ropes elements where the lessons learned on the first day come into play. This retreat’s goal is to foster leadership, friendship and to aid in the creation of a group identity as a CHOICE class.

Healthy Relationships. The first of four retreats held at the Eagle River United Methodist Camp, the Healthy Relationships format encourages the sophomore class to tackle all manner of relationship issues, from familial to romantic. Students are encouraged to explore difficult topics openly and are provided with a safe, respectful space in which to do so. A panel-led discussion – a recurring aspect of the retreats – allows students to question adult volunteers who demonstrate healthy relationships. The goals of this retreat are both to help students recognize and manage unhealthy relationships while also building recognition of their own self-worth and right to respectful treatment.

Transitions. The fifth and final retreat for CHOICE juniors, it is both a refresher of the skills built during their freshman and sophomore retreats and a prep for their lives after high school. Students are encouraged to discuss their hopes for the future, explore different educational and professional possibilities, and think about how to implement all they have learned in the course of their past retreats to make their hopes for the future achievable.

Spring Semester Retreats

Drug & Alcohol. The freshman class receives information and engages in learning activities that illustrate both the physical effects of drugs and alcohol and the impact of addiction and alcoholism on families and society. Topics include drunk driving, genetic predisposition to addiction, and the dangers of tobacco use. The goal of this retreat is to help teens make informed choices regarding drugs and alcohol as well as teach them about the nature of addiction.

Diversity & Conflict Resolution. The final retreat of the school year asks CHOICE sophomores to tackles tough issues. The overall goal of this retreat is to give students the tools to deal with conflict and to face issues of racism, homophobia, and sexism directly. The retreat aggressively challenges many behaviors and world views that may be prevalent in the students’ homes and peer groups. Retreat facilitators ultimately seek to prepare CHOICE teens for a diverse, challenging world outside of Juneau that requires adaptive skills in order to thrive.