Let’s Talk Teens: Year-Round Equitable Programming

  • Registration Closed

This session will provide a general understanding of health and wellness and how to implement equitable year-round programming targeted for the 11 to 17 age group within diverse communities. The focus will be on access, inclusion, and breaking barriers. The discussion will include how we address the prevention of obesity, mental health concerns, and other issues facing teenagers today by providing safe spaces and positive alternatives. Program specifics will comprise empowerment events, life skills training, outdoor education, intramural leagues all designed to promote both physical and mental health. The discussion will highlight our annual Teen Summit that features interactive programming for 500 teens from varying socioeconomic communities. The Teen Summit also involves collaboration with California State Parks. At the conclusion of the session, attendees will leave with valuable tools on how to create year-round equitable programming in their own communities.


Learning Objectives
Following this session, learners will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate how parks build community by creating safe spaces.
  2. Address obesity through disguised physical activity and socialization and tackle mental health concerns by opening conversations to break down barriers and stigmas.
  3. Identify opportunities for programming in diverse communities and how giving access to a wide variety of programs will break barriers.

Chinyere Stoneham

Principal Recreation Supervisor I

City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks

Chinyere Stoneham currently oversees the CLASS Parks Teen Programs, which operates 37 teen sites within the city’s 184 recreation centers. CLASS Parks Teen Programs provides clean and safe supervised afterschool and weekend enrichment, vocational, recreational, and adventure-based outdoor education programs for at-risk youth 11 to 17 years old in underserved communities.

Elaine Piha

City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks

City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks

Elaine Piha is currently the recreation supervisor over the CLASS Parks Teen Programs. CLASS Parks provides programming for sites that includes leadership development, STEM classes, outdoor education, a water adventure program, field trips, special events, Friday Night Extreme Teens, annual empowerment events, Teen Advisory Boards and intramural sports leagues.

Components visible upon registration.