The Teen Maze of 2014 was held Tuesday and Wednesday, April 8 and 9. The event, hosted by the Grant County DWI Program, challenges students from high school and middle school to learn the consequences of bad choices in their lives.à^
Some areas used peer pressure, some gave the students a choice of several options, others had students draw a consequence from a box or spin a wheel to learn the consequence. Signs, such as Juvenile Delinquent, were placed on the students. Others became "pregnant," and had to wear and carry a weighted vest to simulate pregnancy.
A "jail," "hospital," "judge's bench," "Juvenile Probation and Parole Office," were on site for students to work on community service or be cuffed and go to jail.
The "debriefing room" by compiling the "choices" made by the student helped each create a budget and then learn what careers might be closed to them because of bad choices.
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
Teen Maze 2014
Teen Maze 2014
Sherelle Rodriguez from La Plata Middle School got "pregnant."
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Teen Maze 2014
Ollie Hoelscher and Stephanie Gonzales of the Silver Regional Sexual Assault Support Services are at a table where they talked about Sexual Assault Awareness Month during April.
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Teen Maze 2014
JP Wynne High School-based health center participated in Teen Maze by having students roll very large fuzzy dice to find out whehter they "had contracted an STD" and which one.
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Teen Maze 2014
Justice Perry and Brianna Ramirez of La Plata Middle School do exercises, with heavy packs on their backs to similate being overweight, and in the case of Justice, because she was named a "smoker" by a choice she made, only a very thin stirrer straw through which she had to breathe during the exercise.
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Teen Maze 2014
Wyatt Collyge of La Plata also does the step up exercise with a heavy pack.
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Teen Maze 2014
A group of La Plata students make their honest choices on which drink they would normally prefer. Mary Stoecker of the Public Health Department, in the red shirt, explains how much sugar is in the larger drink and what should be the healthier choice in thirst-quenching.
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Teen Maze 2014
Kristy Youngkin and Louis Sepulveda of La Plata were labeled juvenile delinquents by drawing a card or making a bad choice. They are trying to avoid the camera.
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Teen Maze 2014
Emiliano Rivera is headed to jail for a bad choice. Border Patrol Agent Anthony Rico prepares to incarcerate him in the jail on the premises.
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Teen Maze 2014
A warning about abuse.
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Teen Maze 2014
Silver City Municiipal Judge Sonya Ruiz and Jackie David, court administrator, were on the "bench" to sentence teens for their infractions. On Tuesday at the Teen Maze, Magistrate Court Judge Maurine Laney took her turn helping to inform teens.
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Teen Maze 2014
A sad state for one middle-schooler who made or chose the wrong choice.
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Teen Maze 2014
Abigail Ryan wears two signs, one labeling her a juvenile delinquent and another saying: "Sometimes it's funny; sometimes it's a crime."
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Teen Maze 2014
Kylie Crum of La Plata is "bandanged" by Kimberly Barragan, RN, and Flight nurse.
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Teen Maze 2014
Rylee Myers of Aldo Leopold Middle School, is "pregnant," and is "on probation" doing community service.
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Teen Maze 2014
La Plata students Brandon Villegas, Ezquiel DeLaO and Damion Marquez are cuffed by Bayard Police Officers Mark Montes and Willie Kerin, in front of the "jail."
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Teen Maze 2014
Where realization came to participants was when they learned the financial consequences of the choices. Here Tylan Cantrell of Aldo Leopold Middle School learns from Emilia Carrasco and Dillon Trumbo of the Western New Mexico University occupational therapy department. Because of his good "choices" he received good news.
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Teen Maze 2014
WNMU occupational therapy department members pose between students. They are from left Nicole Trumbo, Emilia Carrasco, Dillon Trumbo, and Megan McCauley.
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Teen Maze 2014
Rebecca LaFleur of the WNMU occupational therapy department helps a student work out a budget.
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