Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center manages the School Based Youth Services Program known as the Bear Zone at Barringer High School. The Bear Zone is designed to help Barringer High School students navigate their adolescent years by assisting them to complete high school and preparing them to become productive adults. Core services, such as mental health counseling, pregnancy prevention, and academic enrichment, are provided during and after school, free-of-charge, year-round, onsite at Barringer High School.
Bear Zone staff recognize Teen Dating Violence can lead to a number of unhealthy outcomes. In an effort to raise awareness about Teen Dating violence, group and individual counseling addressing healthy relationships are provided to students. The Bear Zone also collaborates with local community organizations, such as Rutgers University and SAVE of Essex County.
Rutgers University will provide interactive Teen Dating Violence workshops which educate and cultivate open discussions with students about relationships.
Bear Zones’ Brotherhood Academy will partner with the NJ Prevent Abuse Program to co-host a four week program entitled Empowering Young Men that assist young males between 14-18 to identify negative messages and the harm it poses against women and girls.
SAVE of Essex County has provided peer-to-peer education to the Bear Zone’s Healthy Body Healthy Mind program, summer workshops, and health class workshops covering a variety of sexual assault and relationship topics. The students actively participated in the clothesline project with SAVE of Essex where they decorated t-shirts with words and graphics that raised awareness about sexual assault and teen dating violence.
The Bear Zone staff in conjunction with local community partners are dedicated to providing students with resources that will help them to make healthy life choices and decisions.
Barringer High School
In collaboration with Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center, the Barringer School Based Youth Services Program say NO MORE to teen dating violence. Student created t-shirts are displayed at the Shani Baraka Women's Resource Center.