Youth

What is the mission of the Youth Program?

The mission of the Riecken Youth Program is to develop youth leaders with the values, aspirations, and skills they need to contribute to the development of their communities through social change and positive leadership.

What is the Zona X?

The Riecken Foundation’s youth development program is called the Zona X (X Zone). Through participation in projects and activities oriented at developing youths’ creative, intellectual, and leadership abilities, the Zona X forms youth leaders capable of contributing to positive social change in their communities. The Zona X groups are made up of youth between the ages of 13 and 20 years old, and use the community library as their primary meeting place. Through group and individual activities, youth learn by doing, reflecting, and completing projects.

The Riecken Foundation believes that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders and that the future depends on the development of their abilities. The Riecken Youth Program is an integral part of the efforts of the Riecken Foundation to promote prosperity and democracy in Central America. In the Zona X, youth have a safe place to discover their talents, explore their dreams, learn new skills, be exposed to new ideas and information and experience the stages of adolescence in a supportive environment.

By participating in activities that focus on positive leadership values and practical skills, youth learn to speak in public, analyze and reflect, think differently, and use information and technology; all of which contribute to their development as community leaders.

What do the youth do in the Zona X?

In the Zona X, youth participate in individual and group activities that focus on promoting reading and writing, computer skills, positive leadership values and the ability to access and generate information. The groups follow a 12-month plan and earn merit-based rewards for their participation in projects and activities.

Examples of activities include:

• Community newsletter – Create community newsletters using the computer in the library, taking pictures and writing articles about what is happening in the community
  
• Public debates – Prepare and present a public debate to the community discussing current events like mining, censorship of music, and the death penalty
  
• Theatre – Perform a play for the community
  
• Annual conference – Share and learn about theatre or current events at a national conference with representatives from every Zona X
  
• Individual curriculum – Earn merit-based rewards by participating in reading, writing, and leadership value activities on an individual basis
  
• Reading club discussions – Read a story and share ideas and impressions with the group
  
• Computer courses – Learn about technology, the internet, and how to use the computer
  
• Value activities – Explore the importance of positive leadership values in group activities

What is the relationship between the Zona X and the network of Riecken community libraries?

Each Zona X group is located inside of a community library in the Riecken library network and has a physical space inside the library where the youth meet, work, and display their work to the community. Every youth group has an adult leader who is a member of the library board of directors and who is trained by the Riecken Foundation to coordinate, facilitate, and accompany the youth in the Zona X activities.