LMTI Featured on NJ 101.5!
The following is an article that was featured in conjunction with an on-air interview on New Jersey 101.5 Radio. Just click here to listen to on-air interview.
By Dino Flammia
Based in Rutherford, a nonprofit organization has a mission of reducing the frequency of teenage alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. The Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute(LMTI) works towards this goal by helping students realize their leadership potential. Through the various LMTI programs, teens take what they learn and bring it back to their communities.
For those involved, the LMTI year begins with the Summer Leadership Conferences at Camp Ralph Mason in Hardwick. The conferences are specifically for high school students, but it's considered the heart and soul of the program. LMTI director Jamie Sierfeld explains, "That conference is really about providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to create positive changes when they get back in September." LMTI also offers middle school programs and a college-transition program.
Teen Institutes in the country date back to as early as 1965. There are dozens in the U.S. now, and the trend reached New Jersey over 20 years ago. Still, Sierfeld considers LMTI extremely unique. "We work with all types of students," says Sierfeld. "We're working with students from suburban communities, rural communities...from Bergen County all the way down to Salem County." She says LMTI hits so many communities, yet students are still able to work together.
This specific institute was renamed in 2005 for a young woman who lost her battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Lindsey Meyer was a Teen Institute participant, as well as a youth staff member at one point.
The Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute is the largest of its kind in the Garden State.
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