INFORMATION RELEASE

AREA AGENCIES, SCHOOLS, AND MEDIA TO DISCUSS TEEN ISSUES AT LEE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM'S PREVIEW FORUM

FORT MYERS, Fla., April 29, 2004 - A panel of local journalists, school and law enforcement officials, and providers of teen services will join teens and parents for a series of discussions on teen issues throughout the month of May at area libraries.

The discussion series features clips from acclaimed documentaries (Middle School Confessions , Poetic License , Girls Like Us , and Boys Will Be Men) to provide candid and stunning examples of the issues teens face and the emerging changes in our community.

Lee County Library System (LCLS) Community Relations Coordinator Heather O'Connell says officials from area schools, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, and several local news agencies have agreed to serve on the panels (Preview Forum Graphics (pdf).

 "It's our hope that by bringing these groups together with teens and parents, the panels will be able to address stereotypes and issues that create a social barrier between teenagers and adults locally and nationwide."

The discussions take place at each of the Lee County Library System's regional libraries and will address adult expectations, the negative realities teens face today, the role adults in our community can play, and what support is in place for teens.

All programs run from 7-8:30 p.m.

Monday, May 3 at the South County Regional Library
Adults’ Expectations:
How have changes in our community and media coverage affected our expectations for teens?

Monday, May 10 at the Fort Myers - Lee County Public Library
Negative Realities:
What are teens facing today, and what community efforts are under way or are needed to address these realities? What role can the news media play in these efforts?

Monday, May 17 at the Cape Coral - Lee County Public Library
Role of Adults:
Does our community provide opportunities for adults to build supportive relationships with teens? How can the news media make the community aware of the importance of adult involvement in the lives of vulnerable teens?

Monday, May 24 at the East County Regional Library
Teen Support
What support networks are needed for teens in our community?
How can the news media take a strong role in building understand of this need for support?

O'Connell says the suggestions of the panels will be compiled and made available as a resource to help parents, schools, local agencies, and local news organizations overcome obstacles they face in addressing teen issues in our community.


All programs are free and open to the public. Teens and adults are welcome to this program and no registration is required. A sign language interpreter is available with 48-hour notice. Call the Deaf Service Center at 461-0334 (voice) or 461-0438 (TTY). Assistive listening devices are available upon request.

For more information, call Telephone Reference at 479-INFO(4636) or visit the library online at www.lee-county.com/library

Media: For interviews or to find out more about joining a panel, please contact Heather O'Connell at the phone number or e-mail address listed in the signature line.

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Heather O'Connell
Community Relations Coordinator
Lee County Library System
hoconnell@leegov.com
Phone: (239) 461-2924
fax:(239) 461-2919

Lee County Library System supports the
Read Together, Florida project, a part of
the Governor's Family Literacy Initiative
aimed at creating a statewide community
of millions of Floridians reading the same
book at the same time.