A group of teenagers who have seen their share of hard times is spending part of summer vacation trying to make a difference in their community.
The youths are in a mentoring program and have decided to take on two very adult tasks: finding solutions to the sex trade in Redding and how to help their homeless peers.
A dozen high school students were steered to a pilot project hosted by the Catalyst Center on Industrial Street and directed by an alternative education nonprofit named Zedbridge.
The activity has a two-fold purpose - offering innovative community solutions from an age group not usually heard from and developing in those students a sense of self-worth and leadership.
"These are kids who normally wouldn't be empowered to come up with solutions to problems in our city," said Aaron Hayes, the executive director of Catalyst.
Patnaik said the students being mentored have been worn down by people in the community who tell them what they can't do, but the project's focus is to emphasize what they can do and excel in.
"When you get a glimpse of your potential, that's when your passion is found," Patnaik said.
Read more: http://www.redding.com/story/n...ess-peers/444650001/
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