THE HUCK HOUSE VOICE - Huckleberry House

Non-Profit Organization
US POSTAGE
PAID
Columbus, OH
PERMIT NO. 1685
Columbus, OH 43201
www.huckhouse.org
1421 Hamlet Street
THE HUCK HOUSE VOICE
SUMMER 2011
FLIP THE SCRIPT/REBELE
Rebelize. While this word may not be defined by dictionaries
(yet), it was quickly picked up by the adults
and teens that put together the 2011 Flip the Script
Rebel event. The goal is to inspire teens to adopt a
new way of thinking and rebel against society’s negative
standards. In other words, to be rebelized.
Pete Shuler
Crowe Horwath & Co., LLP
Charles Manofsky
NAOI Ohio Equities
Paul Soltis
Confluence Technologies
Lori Stuart
Crowe Horwarth & Co., LLP
Jim Abrams
Chester Willcox & Saxbe, LLP
Teresa McWain
American Electric Power
Karen Blickley
Nationwide Insurance
David Faure
The Scotts Company
Shanikka Flinn
Childrens Hunger Alliance
Lane Flood
KPMG
Craig Smith
Schiff & Associates, LPA
Bill Miller
KPMG
A publication produced by the Huckleberry House, Inc.
HUCKLEBERRY HOUSE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maria Mone
John Glenn School of Public Affairs
Necol Russell-Washington
NRW Law Office
Jeannie Mackowiak
Franklin County Public
Defenders Office
David Blackmore
Epcon Communities Inc.
In order to better reach teenagers, a group of teens,
known as the Young Rebels, helped plan and organize
the event. Because it was the second year for the
event, the adults were able to gain feedback from the
teenagers who weren’t afraid to say what parts of the
event were fun and useful as well as what parts could
be changed.
The summit’s opening ice breaker seemed to catch
most of the attendees’ attention because it opened
their eyes to problems that others have encountered
in their life. Just being in the room, one could feel the
change that everyone felt as they realized that everyone
has obstacles to overcome and no one should be
judged by the way they look.
The teens were organized into smaller groups. Once
everyone was separated, each group began the first
workshop in which they discussed healthy and unhealthy
relationships and the way males and females
perceive each other. As the night went on the adults
took advantage of many opportunities to discuss issues
that teens face on a day to day basis. During dinner
a video was shown that portrayed how easily small
disputes can escalate to huge problems and violence.
Flip the Script Participants: TC Turner, Deontea Rudasill, Briana Swanson and James Barnes
The Young Rebels led discussions about violence, and
how to avoid it, at their tables. In the last workshop
the adults led teens in a discussion about what they
think of themselves, and how to have a positive attitude
toward themselves.
All of the discussions throughout the night were
meant for the teens to receive advice on how to handle
negative situations and how to have a positive attitude
about life. The main goal was to have teens walk
away with a new perspective on life and to want to
continue to change the attitudes of others. With this
goal accomplished, the movement continues as teens
and adults alike positively influence others and look
forward to the next Rebel event.
The author of this article, Amy Ashbrook is a Young Rebel who
graduated from high school this spring and will be attending Ohio
University in the fall.

The 2011 Huck House Awards
ROCK THE HOUSE
On April 28, 2011 Huckleberry House hosted the Huck
House Youth Awards at Confluence Park. This event is
dedicated to hard working youth who have overcome significant
obstacles in their lives. These are young people in
our community who deserve to be honored and will now
inspire others to reach their potential.
Transit Arts kicked off the evening with an outstanding
youth dance performance. They had young people and
adults out of their seats and energized. The evening was
a true celebration of the young people and their families.
They inspired us with their stories of perseverance when
confronted with difficult life circumstances. This year we
recognized 18 youth from the Columbus area. Celebrating
with the teens, were family members, friends, counselors
and mentors.
A special thanks to Transit Arts and
to all of those who supported the
2011 Huck House Youth Awards.
We could not do it without you!
2011 Award recipient Beatrice Flomo
2011 HUCK HOUSE YOUTH AWARDS
SPONSORS
BECKY WESTERFELT
AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER
BROWER INSURANCE
PNC BANK
COOPER STATE BANK
NATIONWIDE INSURANCE
CROWE HORWATH &CO., LLP CHESTER WILLCOX & SAXBE, LLP
SCHIFF & ASSOCIATES, LPA
SS&G
TERESA MCWAIN
Congratulations to the 2011 Recipients and the Agencies Who Nominated Them
Huckleberry House held the third annual Rock the House Benefit Concert on June 18 th at KOBO on High. Thanks
to our good friend Eugene Shats and his family, we had a great evening of live music. We would like to Thank KO-
BO on High and the bands for donating their time for an amazing evening. We had some new bands join us this
year and some old friends who were again willing to share their talent. This event keeps growing each year and
we look forward to what it brings next year. Be sure to check our website for information about Rock The House
Jazz in the fall and next year’s Rock The House Spring Event.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTING BANDS -YOU MADE IT A GREAT
NIGHT OF LIVE MUSIC
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
OLD ONE HUNDRED
MATT MONTA AND THE SMOKING GUNS
APPLE BOTTOM GANG
THE SKASHANK REDEMPTION
LACKLUSTER
Supporters: Rob Motice from the Apple Bottom Gang,
Andy and Lori Pflaum and Huck House Alum Eric Rinaldi
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RAFFLE WINNERS!
THANK YOU TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND ACE WHITE WATER RAFT-
ING FOR DONATING TO OUR RAFFLE!
Audrina Johnson — Miracle Gro Capital
Scholars @ COSI
Fashion bell — Huckleberry House
Deontae rudisill — community for new
direction
America fown — William R. McNamara
Scholarship Recipient
Shaquila coston — Huckleberry House
Beatrice flomo — huckleberry house
Michael turner jr. — huckleberry house
Donald walker — Huckleberry House
Christopher jurgens — William R. McNamara
Scholarship Recipient
ACE
WHITE WATER RAFTING
Timesha brown — St. Stephens community
house
Kaitlin dilts — Soltis– Homer Scholarship
Recipient
Aliche hamler — Franklin County children
Services
Lemarr turner — community for new direction
Deangelo Adkins — Youth Build Columbus
Community School
Amanda combs — Youth Build Columbus
Community School
WE NEED YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS!
Essence Johnson — William R. McNamara
Scholarship Recipient
Kitwana Norris — miracle gro capital
scholars @ cosi
Miyah mcdaniel — Soltis-Homer Scholarship
Recipient
Please send me your email address cscott@huck-house.org. I would gladly put it into our system. It saves us
both on money for printing as well as keeps us being green and saving paper.

Big Thanks to Huck House’s New Friends the
HUCKLEBERRY HOUSE IS DOING RENOVATIONS
Downtown Lions Club
Ask any staff member in our shelter about the new kitchen
and you will know exactly how excited we are! Thanks
to our friends at Nationwide Insurance and the Osteopathic
Heritage Foundation, we will soon start construction
on our new expanded kitchen. Huck House has
hoped for an updated kitchen with more space for years.
As with many homes with teenagers in the house, a lot of
action happens in the kitchen. Many connections happen
over a large meal and we now have more space to do that
with our kids. The new kitchen will be larger than the
previous. We will have more cooking space, more food
storage and new cabinets in the dining area. Be sure to
stop by and see the new happening spot in the shelter
when it is completed!
HUCK HOUSE IS GETTING A NEW KITCHEN!
THANK YOU TO THE CITY
OF COLUMBUS AND THE
HUCKLEBERRY HOUSE
BOARD FUND
You would be surprised how excited folks can get
over a new bathroom! For more years than Huckleberry
House wants to recall, our boys in the shelter
used a bathroom with one shower and one toilet
stall. The last update on the bathroom was in 1978.
At times we would have 10 boys sharing a bathroom.
Both the youth and the staff are beyond
thrilled with the newly remodeled and expanded
bathroom! Thank you to the City of Columbus and
the Huckleberry House Board Fund.
THANK YOU NATIONWIDE INSURANCE
AND OSTEOPATHIC HERITAGE
FOUNDATION
CHECK OUT THE NEW
BOY’S BATHROOM!
You know that friend that always shows up to
help? The first one you call to help when you have
to move? Well that is the friendship we have developed
with the Downtown Lions Club. When I
went to the first meeting of The Lions Club, I have
to admit that I was expecting something different.
I was excited and energized to meet a group of
young professionals from the downtown area who
collectively care about their community and want
to contribute to change.
This year they have contributed in so many ways
to our mission at Huckleberry House. For the 2011
Huck House Awards they pulled together a collection
of gift bags filled with goodies for our award
recipients. Each member took turns escorting our
youth to the stage to accept their awards. But the
Lions don’t just show up for the celebrations.
They also painted, cleaned up, and did yard work
for the shelter. Their enthusiasm in contributing
to their community is evident in everything they
do. All of the staff and youth at Huckleberry
House are grateful for this new friendship and
would like to give a special thanks to the Downtown
Lions Club for everything they do!
THE CRISIS PROGRAM AND TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM
NEED YOUR HELP!
CRISIS PROGRAM
We are looking for donations of new t-shirts,
sweatpants, athletic shorts and socks. When
youth come in and don’t have a change of
clothes, it is helpful to have a supply of multipurpose
clothes for us to give them.
Downtown Lions Club is Number 1! Top row- Tony Ruberg, Huntington
Bank; Chad Lybarger, Huntington Bank; Toby Harper, GBQ partners; Tyler
Schleich, Ernst & Young; Chaz Hixen, Career Max. Bottom row- Kristen
Salvatore, GBQ Partners; Jason Ellinger, Infinex Group; Steve Leppert, Information
Control Corp.
TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM
We are looking for pots and pans, dishes
and kitchen utensils. For our little ones
we need diapers, onesies, winter pajamas,
winter coats and hats. Our highest needs
are for newborns!
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP WE RECEIVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
THANK YOU!

From Our House to Yours….
Choosing Your Battles
By Lara Palay, LISW
Parenting a teen can sometimes feel like a constant battle. How can parents minimize the time spent in
power struggles? By choosing your battles.
Have realistic expectations.
It's important to remember that the teen brain has not fully developed. Teens can be smart in
some ways, but predicting consequences and assessing risk, are not things they are good at yet.
Teens will make mistakes, and this does not have to be the cause of a major battle if you expect
this and do not overreact.
Evaluate importance
How important is this issue? One question to ask yourself is, what are the possible
consequences? Are they beyond my child's ability to cope or comprehend? Is my child or some
one else in danger of a life threatening or life changing consequence (drunk driving, unprotected
sex, for example)? If so, it may be worth staying involved until the issue is resolved.
Is this still my job?
Asserting themselves is an important part of how teens mature. Sometimes parents, feeling their
role changing from boss to advisor, feel that a small argument is a chance to re-establish
authority. In cases where a youth really is out of control and putting him or herself in danger, it
may be necessary to get family counseling to improve boundaries and communication. If not,
though, parents should decide if the power struggle is really about their own struggle to let go of
an old role.
Use good communication
When a conversation is becoming heated, it gets hard to hear what the other person is
saying. Both people can start to feel like the argument is about "no one can tell me what to do" or
"you don't respect me". Those feelings can push you and your teen into extreme positions that
are more about egos than issues. If one or both of you is feeling this way, it may be time to take a
break and come back when tempers are cooler. Remember how you want to be talked to by
others. Feeling respected and heard is important to everyone.
Address it sooner rather than later
When something is bothering you, talk about it before you get too frustrated. If you decide it's not
worth addressing, then work to really let it go, not just stuff it away till you explode.
Manage your own stress
Parenting a teen is challenging at the best of times, and work, family and personal issues can pile
on the stress. If you are overly stressed, irritability sets in, and small problems seem like crises.
Manage your own stress and you can choose battles more wisely.
Don't be afraid to come back or re-evaluate
You may decide something is not a big deal, and then the situation changes and becomes some
thing that does have to be addressed. Something that seems like a big problem can suddenly work
Itself out without much help from you. Don't be afraid to let something ride for awhile and see
how it develops, or to go back and change your mind about how something needs to be handled.
Will it be OK in two years?
Sometimes behavior may be ok for now, but doesn't set a good pattern for the future, like
following through on commitments or understanding how their behavior affects others. Ask
yourself, will this behavior still be ok in two years? If not, you may want to address it now.
Know your own issues and triggers
Parents are people, with our own histories and sensitive issues. If you know that a particular
issue affects you emotionally, check yourself to make sure you aren't over-reacting or imposing
your own wishes, regrets or fears on the situation.
Remember! Your relationship with your teen is a balancing act.
Trust your instincts, check yourself, and stay in touch with your
and your teen's feelings. Some of those battles may not need to
be battles after all!