Rochester Area Youth Assistance

10/31/2025

Wishing everyone a spook-tacular Happy Halloween! 🧡🖤

From all of us at RAYA, we hope your night is full of treats (and no tricks!). We are grateful for our incredible community!

10/29/2025

➡️ JOIN US and Rochester Hills Resiliency Center - a program of Common Ground with Speaker Laura Azoni, LMSW-Clincial for "Meet Me Where I'm At" ~ Addressing the impact of trauma across the lifespan. 👇
📍 Rochester Hills Public Library
🗓 November 13th
⌚️ 7:00 pm

register online Here to Reserve Your Seat: rhpl.org/events

10/28/2025

What a fantastic 2025 Annual Meeting! 👇
Huge thanks to Chairman of the Board, Lindsay Wood for the warm welcome and for introducing our dynamic speaker, Pat McKay! And a big round of applause for our Vice Chair, Jennifer Cordon Thor, who knocked it out of the park with an incredible presentation! 👏

We're feeling energized and ready to take on the year with our amazing team. Thanks to everyone who joined us! 💯

Missed the action? Check out the annual report here:
https://www.raya-mi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/updated_2025-ANNUAL-REPORT_final.pdf

10/21/2025

RAYA had a booth at Halloweenfest in Downtown Rochester on Saturday! 🎃👻
Vice-Chair Jennifer Cordon Thor and Treasurer Liang Fu passed out treats. 🍭🍬🍫 What a great turnout! Community events are our favorite way to directly engage with the community and share the impact of our work. 💯

Want to know more about what we do? Visit our website here:
🌐 raya@rochester.k12.mi.us

10/16/2025

Thank you to Alyssa Jesselaitis, LMSW for her presentation for RAYA at the Rochester Hills Public Library! 😊
Understanding the Functions of Emotions." Some great information was shared with the parents who attended, thank you to all who made it out for this excellent presenation! 👍✅

10/14/2025

This event is tongiht! Join us for "Understanding the Functions of Emotions" with Speaker, Alyssa Jesselaitis, LMSW.

📍 Rochester Hills Public Library ~500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester
🗓 October 14th
⏰ 7:00 pm
Join Us!

Our next event is October 14th ~ "Understanding the Functions of Emotions." Speaker, Alyssa Jesselaitis, LMSW, will talk about how emotions are powerful messengers! This presentation helps parents and teens better understand what different emotions are trying to tell us.
📍 Rochester Hills Public Library ~500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester
🗓 October 14th
⏰ 7:00 pm
Join Us!

10/10/2025

Join the Rochester Community Schools, MI Superintendent for a Community Information Forum, see details below.

You are invited to a community information forum with Superintendent Nicholas Russo for thoughtful discussion and updates about Rochester Community Schools. Topics include student achievement, safety and security, strategic planning and the state budget.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Van Hoosen Middle School, Media Center
1339 Adams Rd., Rochester Hills

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.
Rochester Hills Public Library
500 Olde Towne Rd., Rochester

To reserve your spot, scan the QR code, click this link: https://ow.ly/2RM750X7Tse, or call 248-726-3185.

10/10/2025

Make sure your student is signed up for Student Square for RCS communications!

Introducing StudentSquare, an extension of ParentSquare, for RCS students in grades 6-12.

StudentSquare is a safe and secure platform for school communications.

• StudentSquare has functionality similar to Remind 101, previously used for classes, clubs and teams.

• Parent/caregiver permission is required to add an optional student cell phone *if* families choose this method for communication. Cell phones are not mandatory.

• Parents/caregivers have the ability to view all of their student’s communications in StudentSquare.

Learn more on the RCS ParentSquare website at: https://ow.ly/tCIR50WSheT.

10/02/2025

We had two events this week!
➡️ Lindsey, President of RAYA, was at the Rochester Hills HOA Leadership Open House, our table was visited by over 50 people! ➡️ We also had our event at Rochester Hills Public Library with Diana R. Jennings and How to Help Kids and Teens Cope with Stress, which was also well attended.

Thank you to all who attended!
🌐 raya-mi.org

10/01/2025

Our next event is October 14th ~ "Understanding the Functions of Emotions." Speaker, Alyssa Jesselaitis, LMSW, will talk about how emotions are powerful messengers! This presentation helps parents and teens better understand what different emotions are trying to tell us.
📍 Rochester Hills Public Library ~500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester
🗓 October 14th
⏰ 7:00 pm
Join Us!

09/30/2025

This event is tonight! Please join us at the Rochester Hills Public Library at 7:00 pm for "How to Help Kids and Teens Cope with Stress," Speaker: Diana R. Jennings, MS, LLP. Diana will have some great tips to share with you!

See you there!

Join us at the Rochester Hills Public Library for a special presentation by Diana R. Jennings, MS, LLP about How to Help Kids and Teens Cope with Stress!

🗓 September 30th
⏰ 7:00 PM
📍 Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester

09/19/2025

Good resources if you are facing an immediate crisis!

Don't forget if you find yourself looking for immediate support outside of business hours, we have these three resources available, 24/7.
📱Call Common Ground's Resources and Crisis Hub at 800-231-1127 to speak to a trained crisis specialist, information and referrals.
📍Go to the Crisis Center located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Building 32E in Pontiac
💬 Call/ Text/ Chat 988- Su***de & Crisis Lifeline