Teens ‘trapped’ for 3 days at local event share what they’ve learned about life, leadership and love

IDAHO FALLS – Sixty teens hold hands as they walk blindfolded through the lobby of the Snake River Event Center at the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls Saturday afternoon.

The group is participating in TRAPPED, an annual three-day camp hosted by Community Youth in Action, a nonprofit which provides resources and development programs for teens.

TRAPPED is an acronym that stands for “Teens rising above peer pressure every day” and CYA staff “trap” the youth in the building for the duration of the event. Temporary lodging inside the hotel is provided, along with food.

The event is free and is open to any teen who wants to participate. The purpose of it is to learn how to be leaders in the community by participating in a variety of activities.

The group walks into a darkened room dimly lit with candles. The candles are arranged in a heart shape in the center of the room. Other than the quiet ambience of “Pachelbel’s Canon” playing in the background, the room is completely silent.

The kids take a seat on chairs surrounding the candles, and are invited by an adult leader to “own their voice” as they step inside the heart to share one at a time what they’ve learned.

“I’ve learned that it’s ok to put myself first,” one kid says.

“I’ve learned that the hate I tell myself is invalid when I’m surrounded by people who love me,” another says.

One girl reluctantly stands in the heart. She introduces herself and pauses as she holds back tears.

“I’ve learned that I’m not alone,” she says, crying.

This is just one of many activities the nonprofit hosts throughout the year.

Sixteen-year-old Brie Dalling heard about the event from her mom and decided to participate.

“My sister is on probation. Her probation officer was like, ‘Hey, you should do this.’ My mom told me, ‘This might look good on a resume (to be part of this). You also enjoy being around people and helping others. You should do it with her,'” Brie says.

As she reflects on the last few days, she feels empowered to take what she’s learned and use it to help others.

“I internalize a lot and shove it (deep inside). This made me realize people are able to relate with me. Even if it’s not the same thing (I’m going through), they’re still able to be there for me and support me. I’m able to do that for them, too,” says Brie.

CYA was founded in 2018 to give youth a place to go for support outside of school and family. It offers resources for teens who come from abusive homes, are bullied at school or who struggle with addictions.

Extracurricular activities are available for any teen who wants to get involved. Participants often do community service projects, but they also have sports, outdoor and other activities for just about any interest or skillset.

Kody Robinson volunteers as a tutor and he says it’s rewarding to help his peers work through a problem they don’t understand.

“To be able to help them through that and see them understand and grow … is so amazing,” he says.

Brie Dalling, 16, left, and Kody Robinson, 18, on the last day of “Trapped,” an annual youth conference sponsored by CYA. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

Marco Erickson, a state legislator from Idaho Falls, is the organization’s program director. CYA’s mission is personal to him. His parents and siblings struggled with drug addictions for years and he wanted a better life.

Helping kids who struggle with these or other issues has been his life’s work. Being a state legislator has increased his ability to help teens and CYA grow.

It was gratifying to Erickson to see two teens participating in this week’s conference who are newcomers to CYA. The fact that they’re already standing in front of the group and making comments is significant to him and shows they’re making progress.

“We never take credit for it, but we know we were a part of it. I get to see those results every day and I get a lot of joy from that,” he says. “My goal is to leave a mark on future generations so they can have a much healthier life.”

Visit CYA’s website or Facebook page to learn more.