The Solano County Library is offering Teens Survival Kit for Quarantine, a free virtual program for all teens ages 12-18 from April through August, funded by a grant from the California State Library.

Teens are invited to participate in monthly Zoom classes and pick up a survival kit from any of Solano’s nine branches. Each kit contains materials that correlate with an online class designed to reflect a diversity of youth interests. Teens will have the opportunity to meet and learn writing tips from best-selling Young Adult authors, learn life-skills like basic car maintenance, learn how to play the ukulele, relieve stress through yoga, and more.

“The library recognizes the many challenges teens are facing due to quarantine, social isolation, inactivity, and decreased learning. We want to help address these challenges by providing engaging activities and fun virtual programs for teens to survive quarantine, especially as they transition to in-person learning,” states Rhea Gardner, the librarian at Solano County Library who applied for the grant.

Teen registration is required at solanolibrary.com to attend the Zoom class and pick up a kit. Limited spots and supplies available.

The following is a detailed schedule of the Teens Survival Kit for Quarantine activities:

April: Thursdays 4/22 & 4/29, 4-5 PM @Zoom

Celebrate Poetry Month with Aija Mayrock

Teens are invited to two free poetry workshops featuring spoken word artist, Aija Mayrock. Aija is a bestselling author, poet, and motivational speaker who her first book The Survival Guide to Bullying when she was 16 years old, after having been bullied for many years. Connect with other teens, build your self-esteem, and learn techniques to express yourself through poetry.

Teens who register will receive a free copy of Aija’s book to keep and a journal to write poetry.

May:  Wednesdays 5/12, 5/19, 5/26, 5-6 PM @Zoom

Health & Wellness series with physical and mental-health activities for teens.

5/12- Yoga with Maryam and Charlie

Teens will learn basic stretching, meditative breathing, and all levels of yoga moves for stress relief, taught by certified yoga instructor, Maryam, and yoga enthusiast, Charlie.

Teens who register for the event will receive a free yoga mat.

5/19- POUND® with Reneé

Teens, channel your inner rock star with this full body cardio-jam session inspired by the infectious, energizing, and sweat-dripping fun of playing the drums. This exhilarating, full-body workout combines cardio, conditioning and strength training with yoga and Pilates-inspired movements. Teens who register will receive a free pair of drumsticks to pound and rock out.

5/26- Healthy is the New Skinny with Katie Willcox

Katie Willcox, founder of www.healthyisthenewskinny.com , is a motivational speaker, author, social media influencer, plus-size model and fitness expert. She will speak on body positivity, body acceptance, building self-esteem, the realities of influencer lifestyle, impossible beauty standards as a result of the social media, and healthy practices for media consumption for both teen girls and boys. Teens will have an opportunity to ask questions and have a dialogue with Katie about these important issues.

Teens who register will receive a free copy of Katie’s book, Healthy is the New Skinny.

June: Tuesday 6/29, 4-6:30 PM @Zoom

6/29- Be Prepared for Car Ownership: A Class for Teens and Young Adults with Mechanic Shop Femme

Chaya Milchtein is an automotive educator, journalist, and empowerment speaker who believes that education is empowerment. That is why she founded Mechanic Shop Femme  to empower young people with basic car mechanic knowledge. This class teaches teens the fundamentals of car ownership. Covers warning lights, when to tow a car, how to say no to a mechanic, and more.

Teens who register will receive a free emergency roadside kit to keep for their car.

July: Saturdays 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 11-12 PM @Zoom

7/10-7/31- Learn to Play the Ukulele with Lorenza

Lorenza Gibson of Vallejo will instruct all levels on playing the ukulele including those with no previous musical experience. We ask that those who register be able to commit to attending the entire course. Ukuleles (either soprano or tenor) can be borrowed from your local branch of Solano County Library.

If teens attend all four classes, they will receive their own uke to keep permanently.

July/August: Thursdays 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 2-3:30 PM @Zoom 

Summer Teen Writing Workshop with Reyna Grande

Award-winning author, Reyna Grande, will host a series of writer’s workshops for teens.  Teens who register will receive a free copy of Reyna’s best-selling memoir The Distance B\between Us which is about her life before and after she arrived in the United States from Mexico as an undocumented child immigrant. Reyna will talk about her experiences and instruct teens on the basics of storytelling and writing.

7/29- Author meet and greet with Reyna. Teens can ask Reyna anything about her life story and book.

8/5- Book talk on The Distance between Us. Teens will learn Reyna’s tips for writing and in-depth process on writing. Teens will receive a writing assignment to write their own short story.

8/12- Teens will share their stories and receive feedback and advice from Reyna.

For more information, please visit www.solanolibrary.com  or call us at 1-866-572-7587.