YouthSpeaksOut! is a monthly public affairs show in Mendocino County, California. High school students discuss relevant topics and allow call-ins in the last third of the show. This month's show was about grief following the death of 2 high school students. Produced by Dan Roberts. 55 minutes
The Laytonville High School hosts of YouthSpeaksOut! discussed tragedy and grief. In the past six months a Laytonville High student was a victim of a brutal multiple murder perpetrated by a friend who was living in his parents house- the victim's father was also murdered and his mother and uncle were severely injured. Two weeks ago 4 high school students stole a school van and crashed it, leaving a freshman dead. INTRO November 2015 Tragedy and Grief Welcome to Youth Speaks Out!, a show by, for, and about young people. It normally airs on the first Sunday of each month from 3 to 4 pm, but the first Sunday this month was Pledge Drive. The show is hosted by young people in Mendocino County. We want to create a place where young people can talk truthfully about important issues in our lives...and have a dialogue with the community of listeners. Today s hosts are me, Jessie, and (point to others who will state their names and schools). Today our topic is Tragedy and Grief. Laytonville is a rural, unincorporated community in northern Mendocino county. The population of the area is around 1200 people, with the majority living outside the designated town area. For decades the largest employer was the timber industry. In the past decade that has been replaced by the not yet legal production of medical and recreational marijuana. Laytonville high school has about 120 students. The curriculum is diverse, providing college preparation as well as building skills, guitar making, and culinary arts. Many of the students have previously been classmates in the Laytonville grammar and middle schools. The staff of the schools are committed, caring residents of the area. Many of the students take classes through Mendocino College in their junior and senior years, and many graduates go on to prestigious universities. The mock trial team has dominated Mendocino County competitions for over a decade, and always does well at the state finals. Several devastating events involving Laytonville high school students rocked the community in the past 6 months. This summer one of the most popular students and his father were gruesomely murdered by a troubled young man who had graduated and been taken in by the family. Teo Palmieri and his father, Coleman, were well-loved leaders in their respective communities. Teo s mother Cindy, a local physician, and her brother, Theodore, were also brutally attacked but survived. The perpetrator, Talen Barton, was a friend of Teo and his family for many years. He was well-known in the community and had numerous friends. The two young men hosted YouthSpeaksOut! three times together, and were excellent on the air. Talen pled guilty to the murders and was sentenced to 71 years in prison. Three weeks ago 4 students stole a school van and crashed into a tree on Branscomb Road while joyriding. One of the students was ejected from the van and died from his injuries. He was Deon Oldenes, age 14, a freshman at Laytonville High. Many members of the community joined in a candle light memorial for this promising youth. The other three students were injured in the accident, and one is facing manslaughter charges. Both of these tragic events have led to much pain and sorrow in our community. The sense of loss and anguish have been widespread. Following the murders there were weekly gatherings were people could express and share their grief. People wanted to process powerful emotions, most specifically grief. Grief could be defined as deep sorrow often leading to despair. Following events like these it is natural to feel overwhelmed with emotions like pain, anger and sadness. Sometimes you can even feel numb. The murders happened at the end of July. On the first day of school we had an assembly. Counselors were available to work with students that were experiencing sorrow and confusion. Students were encouraged to talk in small groups and utilize art materials to express their emotional state. Counselors have remained available this school year. The first day of school after the fatal van accident was November 2nd, the Day of the Dead. People spoke about the Mexican tradition on the day and created an altar. The day celebrates and honors those who have passed on. Many counselors were also available. We have learned a bit about the stages of grief. Grief often starts with shock and denial, moves to anger, then depression and detachment. From there grief moves to dialogue and bargaining, to acceptance, and to a return to normal functioning. We have certainly experienced most of these phases. The truth is that resolving grief takes time, much energy, and the support of others. Today we want to talk about how we are coping with grief. It is natural in our culture to want to instantly get beyond grief, to shake it off, to get over it. We admire those who can keep a stiff upper lip, and stay in bliss. But we understand that not processing through the stages of grief can leave one vulnerable to unnecessary anger, depression, and confusion. So we will describe our journeys through tragic events as individuals, as classmates, as family members, and as a community. And we are going to want to hear from you, our listening community, in about 30 minutes. We will want you to express how you cope with grief, whether over these Laytonville events or others in your life or community. The phone number will be 707 456-9991 and we will ask you to call in about 30 minutes. So let s start by describing how you felt when you learned of Teo and Coleman s death. ************************************************************ We re going to open the phone lines now. The phone number is 707 456-9991. Everyone is welcome to call, and we d especially like to encourage people who have resolved grief and those affected by the recent tragedies in Laytonville. Please call in if you have questions or insights about grief and loss, especially how it applies to the youth of our community. Have you experienced grief and how did you cope with it? What has helped you pass through dark periods in your life? Is the process of grief and loss in youth really that different from what older people experience? What advice would you give young people trying to make sense of the loss of classmates? If you are from the Laytonville community, how have you been affected by the events? Have community gatherings been helpful in completing the grieving process?
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