Parent Pulse

Parent Pulse is a bi-monthly newsletter for BBYO member parents to help keep up to date with goings on across the Order. For nearly a century, parents have trusted us to provide a safe space in which their teens can thrive, and Parent Pulse offers an insider’s glimpse into those spaces every other month. Take a look through our past issues here!

Issue 17 | August 2022

Welcome Note | Around the Order | Wellness Corner | Trending Now | Coming Up Soon | In Their Words

 

WELCOME NOTE

Hello, parents!

It’s hard to believe the summer is almost over. As we navigated this new normal throughout the past few months, one thing is certain: our teens had an excellent experience at our summer programs. With our wide breadth of offerings, teens got the chance to learn leadership skills, develop friendships, plan programs for their peers, engage with guest speakers, and of course, have fun! I just spent my ninth summer at a BBYO program, and I have never felt more inspired by our participants and the future of our Movement.

The momentum built over the summer will take us right into the start of the year. Regions are planning exciting kickoff events in your communities ranging from yacht parties to dances at exclusive venues -- programs that your teens definitely won't want to miss! Kickoffs will be followed by local chapter programming, giving teens a taste of what BBYO has to offer on a local level.

So, what’s next for you as a parent? We’d love your support and engagement with us! Be sure to check your emails for updates regarding kickoff events offered in your area, support your teens as they attend programming, and check out your local BBYO Near You page for more information. We are also running a parent referral campaign through the end of August. Know a Jewish teen who should join BBYO? Tell us who they are, and we’ll reach out to them to make sure they know about all the incredible programs happening in their area.

I can't wait to see all the incredible things our teens accomplish this year and know that the possibilities are endless with your support!

All the best,

Samantha Heimsohen
Area Director of Community Impact
Gold Coast Region, Miami Region, North Florida Region, Northern Region East: Baltimore Council, DC Council, & NoVA Council

 
 

AROUND THE ORDER

ILN: Opportunities to Lead the Movement | BBYO’s International Leadership Network (ILN) is an opportunity for members from every community, regardless of position or grade, to raise their hand to help build the Movement. Joining the ILN is a great way for your teen to become more involved in International Order in an area they are passionate about—press corps, climate change, and music, just to name a few. From signing up for an existing committee to starting their own club, there are dozens of ways for your teens to participate. Applications for ILN Committees close tomorrow, August 31, so don’t delay! For more information, visit the BBYO Lead page.

Parent Advisory Council | We are seeking new members for our national community of parents who provide key insights, guide strategy, and help to create an exceptional parent experience for all BBYO parents. Council members serve as thought partners and ambassadors for BBYO, supporting fundraising efforts, building parent events and programming (like the one you can register for below!), fostering a sense of community, and ensuring BBYO can meet the needs of all teens and parents across our Movement. Membership to the Parent Advisory Council includes a philanthropic gift to BBYO. You can explore more about this opportunity on the BBYO Parent Advisory Council page, or reach out to Rebecca Feuerstein to learn more. You can also visit our main Advisory Council page for more information about ways to get involved.

Stay Up to Date with All Things BBYO | Did you know BBYO has accounts on most major social media platforms? We encourage you to keep in touch with us through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Our social media platforms are a great way to hear announcements, connect with other families, and learn more about our events and programs. Also, you’ll be the first to know about available job and advisor opportunities across the country. We are currently looking to fill several advisor positions throughout our regions. Be sure to check out our LinkedIn for more information about these opportunities!

 
 

WELLNESS CORNER

Founded in 2019, the BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness (BBYO-CAW) played a crucial role in the health and safety of our, and many other, teens this summer. The Center not only helps to ensure that BBYO has the policies, procedures, and training to support your teens, but also brings these resources to the larger youth-serving community.  

The statistics may seem alarming, but arming ourselves with knowledge is the best way to support our teens as the pandemic continues to have a significant impact on teen mental health:  

  • Depressive and anxiety symptoms have doubled 
  • ER visits for suicidal thoughts rose 51% for teen girls and 4% for teen boys 
  • More than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic 
  • 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year 

It is imperative that all youth-serving organizations are prepared to recognize challenges early and help connect teens and their families to support. Through partnerships with camps, Jewish Community Centers, teen travel programs, and schools, BBYO-CAW is helping to ensure that every organization is prepared to recognize red flags and best support the teens in their care.  

Working with and supporting teen mental, emotional, and social health has always been my passion. I believe that youth-serving organizations have an immense power to help shape the adults our teens will become. Within my role as the Director of the BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness, I get to combine my passion for teen mental health and wellness with ensuring that all organizations have the policy and training to support the teens in their care. I look forward to continuing to expand BBYO-CAW in the coming year and helping to support many more organizations as they deepen their impact with teens.

Drew Fidler
Director, BBYO Center for Adolescent Wellness

 
 

TRENDING NOW

In this edition of Trending Now, we’re sharing updates on the types of jobs Generation Z finds appealing, what wellness trends are popular with teens on TikTok, and how businesses are taking a different approach in “marketing” to young consumers.
 
Gen Z’s Dream Jobs | Early career stage employees are getting the most satisfaction out of roles that give them the opportunity to have social impact or shape the company's culture, according to a new Glassdoor report. The top-rated roles for Gen Z today are:

  • Corporate Recruiter
  • Marketing Manager
  • Social Media Manager
  • Data Scientist

Gen Z workers are also seeking out relatively large companies that were founded prior to 2000, compared to millennials and others who prefer smaller companies or start-ups. Additionally, many top-rated companies for Gen Z have taken a stance on issues ranging from racial equity in the workplace to environmental sustainability.

Holistic Wellness Trends | These days, young people are interested in taking care of themselves in ways that go far beyond just fitness and healthy eating. In fact, most 13 to 39-year-olds say that mental health is part of their definition of wellness, and roughly half say that mental health is the most important part of wellness. When asked which wellness trends they were most interested in, Gen Z’s top response was meditation (40%), and 21% said manifesting. The #Manifestation tag on TikTok has nearly 20 billion views, where videos encourage viewers to make their dreams come true through spiritual energy.

“Marketing” to Young Consumers | Members of Gen Z make up a significant portion of the buyers purchasing from today’s businesses, and soon they will become the largest group of consumers in the market overall. However, effectively marketing to them can be challenging as they are known for holding deep convictions and high ethical standards, and gaining their trust is essential. Approaches business are taking to appeal to Gen Z without appearing to market to them include communicating in an authentic way, encouraging Gen Z to market to their peers, projecting values of purpose and equity, and creating entertaining and interactive content to engage with.

 
 

COMING UP SOON

Fall Kickoffs | With the school year getting started, Fall Kickoffs are around the corner! Hundreds of BBYO communities will be hosting amazing events to officially welcome back BBYO for the school year. From yacht parties to pool bashes to laser tagging, with these activities are a fun way for teens to celebrate and connect with local friends. To learn more about events happening in your area, visit the BBYO Near You page.

BBYO International Convention (IC) 2023 Launch Night | We’re returning to Dallas, Texas, this February for our most epic IC yet! More than 5,000 teen and community leaders from around the world will gather to hear from inspiring speakers, deepen their leadership skills, serve the local community, celebrate Shabbat together, enjoy exclusive music performances, and do their part to strengthen the Jewish future. Worldwide registration for IC opens Thursday, September 22, 2022. To learn more, visit the IC website and go to the Launch Night Events page to find an event in your area.

Be First in Line for Summer 2023 | Is your teen looking to make friends for life, check some breathtaking places off their travel bucket list, and grow their leadership skills? A BBYO Summer is their place to be! We just closed out a life-changing summer for our teens, and we’re already deep into planning for summer 2023, including a host of new experiences that take teens through incredible locations like Croatia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Hawaii, and Ecuador. When you fill out our interest form, you'll be the first to know about new program launches, the best deals of the season, and how to register risk-free.

 
In Their Words
 

IN THEIR WORDS

In this edition of In Their Words, enjoy 55 seconds of inspiration from BBYO's newly inducted teen presidents, Levi Fox and Avi Gorodetski, with this highlight reel of their inaugural address delivered at our International August Executives Conference.

 

Special Parent Event

On Tuesday, September 20th at 7:30 PM ET, join fellow BBYO parents for an insightful presentation from Dr. Lisa Damour, “Begin Again: Helping Teens Manage All That We Ask of Them.

As the school year begins, Dr. Damour will discuss how parents can support teens as they:

  • Stay on top of their schoolwork
  • Make new friends and deal with social friction
  • Balance their many responsibilities, including BBYO

All BBYO parents are invited to attend this event hosted by BBYO’s Parent Advisory Council.

REGISTER NOW

Recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association, Dr. Lisa Damour co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, writes about teenagers for the New York Times, appears as a regular contributor to CBS News, and works in collaboration with UNICEF. She is the author of two New York Times best sellers, Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood and Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls.