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Learning to trust: Teen Cotillion takes a blind start

5 Digs

A group of 40 Prince George’s teens began a 16-week journey Friday, January 20, as they participated in the first activity of the 2012 Teen Cotillion Program. And how did they begin this journey? Blindfolded of course! After finishing their dinner and socializing a bit, the teens gathered together and split into boy-girl pairs. What happened next was the first of many exercises to come in which the teens would rely on trust and teamwork. The boys were blinded first as the girls led them through path within the community center, and then they switched roles. “You’ve got to trust your partner,” said 16-year-old Jelani Blake, referring not only to the blindfolded activity, but to the dancing aspect of the Cotillion Program as well. The focus of the Cotillion is to train participants in how to ballroom dance with a partner for their final event, but the program also includes 10 field trips, such as a ski trip and a visit to New York City. Many of the teens were unsure of what they were getting into when they signed up for the program, but are excited to have new experiences. “It’s a good opportunity to… be a part of something different,” said 15-year-old Andrea Barnes. The panel that selects the 40 participants from 200 applications chooses the teens who seem most likely to benefit from the program, explained Programming Chair Valerie Lewis. This means that they are not necessarily straight-A students with many extracurricular activities, but they are students who would appreciate the many experiences provided in the program. “This program is for everybody,” said Lewis. “This is a good group of kids… amazing kids with amazing stories.”