SantaFe.com

Being young and in love is an incredible feeling; excitement, strong feelings and the future are all things that contribute to such an experience. However, many young people are too distracted by a lot of the feelings associated with being in a relationship and overlook possible signs of abuse, either verbal, physical, or both. In order to identify warning signs of a significant other’s questionable behavior,—and if recognized to seek help—I interviewed psychotherapist and school counselor of Desert Academy Karen Sands, LPCC, LMSW.

See the Signs. As mentioned above, when in a relationship...

Tuesday, July 1, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

Just as in any city, volunteer work creates a healthy, vibrant, opportunistic environment for its citizens to live comfortably. Luckily, Santa Fe offers many areas of interest in which volunteers are both wanted and needed; everything from animal welfare to the arts to social services. Volunteering as a youth is important for a variety of reasons. First, your time and effort, in whatever capacity, are needed by the organization to achieve its goals. Second, you can begin to see the world around you with wider eyes. Third, you enable yourself to step out of your comfort zone and push...

Sunday, June 15, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

Today, more than ever before, there is significant emphasis put on education. College is the new high school, and graduate school is the new college. The state of our economy only further enhances competition for people (at any level) and makes entering the work field that much harder for recent graduates (regardless of how much education they have received). Surprisingly, our nation continues to see incredibly high drop-out rates amongst high school students. In order to receive honest answers directly from high school students, I conducted an anonymous survey of twenty students from Monte...

Monday, May 5, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

It’s really difficult to remember how we communicated, what we considered “entertaining,” and how we received information prior to the Internet. The Internet has become one of the most-used means of technology in history—after electricity, the telephone, cars, modern appliances, and computers, of course. As different generations deal with its effects and affects, youth today appear to be savvier than ever. I recently conducted an anonymous survey of twenty high school students from Monte Del Sol Charter School to gain insight on how safe they feel using the Internet, how much time they...

Thursday, May 1, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

The environment has become a hot topic amongst countries, lawmakers, and local neighborhoods. It has become such a controversial subject that few can agree on its effects, affects, and what measures we must take in order to preserve it. Fortunately for us young people, the environment will soon be our responsibility. Unfortunately, it is also our responsibility to obtain accurate information to create an environment that we can enjoy, as well as future generations. I recently interviewed Taylor Selby of Earth Care International, an organization committed to informing and helping youth care...

Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 2:55 PM
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

In a city as culturally rich, diverse and flooded with tourism as Santa Fe is, it is easy to forget a struggling demographic exists here. According to Youth Shelters and Family Services, nearly 600 youth become homeless each year in the City Different. I recently sat down with Gwendolyn Douglass, Melissa Frank and Lizzy Lyons of the Youth Shelters and Family Services, a non-profit organization serving youth and families in Northern New Mexico to discuss the misconceptions and facts of youth homelessness, as well as try to bring awareness to an issue that is often forgotten.

Monday, March 31, 2008 at 2:50 PM
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

Applying for a job can be frightening, expectations can be unclear, and knowing where you will perform at your best and be compensated fairly is difficult to assess. The only element that can make this process even more intimidating is if you are applying for your very first job. Carlos Duno, President of Marcia Owen Associates, a permanent and temporary staffing agency located here in Santa Fe, and I have come up with tips for first-time job applicants to get through the process and find the perfect job.

Create your Resume. Creating a resume can be daunting, especially if you don’t have...

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

As if leaving college wasn’t hard enough, entering the real world and applying for your first “real” job can be just as challenging. To make matters worse, the lack of young professionals in Santa Fe deters many recent graduates from even applying in the City Different. Carlos Duno, President of Marcia Owen Associates, a permanent and temporary staffing agency located here in Santa Fe, and I have come up with tips for recent graduates to get through the job application process, and reasons why even you may want to stay and watch your career grow here.

First and foremost, Mr. Duno maintains...

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com

College is one of the most amazing experiences in a person’s life. A variety of classes are available to broaden your academic horizon, amazing friendships are made, and most importantly, you begin the processes of discovery both about yourself and the world. However, the college admissions process is time consuming and difficult, and often takes a team greater than one. Having recently completed this process, I have come up with a few guidelines to help you along the way.

Be Proactive. Deciding where to go to college will be one of the biggest decisions of your life. Despite the help and...

Wednesday, February 13, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk

For many young people the idea of saving money is foreign. What should we be saving for? Why does it matter? Well, the financial decisions we make today can have an enormous impact on our futures, including when we buy our first car, take out a school loan, or make a down payment on a house. I recently sat down with Sherry Finney, a mortgage specialist and financial professional with thirty years in her field. With her expert advice, I came up with six steps young people can take to encourage savings and make smart decisions about money.

Begin by starting a dialogue with your parents....

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
by Alexis Shannez Dudelczyk • SantaFe.com