Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenlea Herndon.
Hi Kenlea, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
So, I grew up in this community, and I never thought I would be serving the community that I grew up in, but honestly, there was no other way this could have played out – and I am so grateful for that. Through my work here, I share many of the same experiences as those I am serving. The journey to get where I am now has not been easy, and some odds were stacked against me, but I had a few caring and consistent adults in my life that made all the difference. When it was time to decide what I wanted to do for a career, I had some internal conflict about which route I wanted to go. I am sure many young adults go through that same process – figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life is confusing and intimidating. I knew that I was highly fascinated by biology and chemistry. It held my attention, and I was good at it. But that small internal voice drew me toward the human services field. At that age, you get a ton of feedback on what you should do with your life and what success looks like. All of that pressure can be overwhelming, especially when your ideas and dreams don’t necessarily align with the advice from others. I decided to go with my gut and pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology. It perfectly balanced my passion for human services and my curiosity for the sciences. Post-degree, I worked with young adults in a behavioral health setting in downtown St. Louis. I then later went on to work in an early-childhood setting providing in-home services to families of infants and toddlers. I am now with Riverbend Family Ministries serving teenagers in a psychoeducation setting. This work has been the most rewarding experience and validated my decision to commit to this field when I was just 17 years old.
What is most rewarding for me is the chance to be a consistent and caring adult in teenagers’ lives. I hope to be the same kind of adult that I needed at that age, the kind of adult that changed the trajectory of my own life. When we hear about the teenage experience from adults, we often hear that it was the time of their lives and that many people would give anything to return to high school. From the adult perspective, it was a time when we had little responsibilities and could be kids. Considering the demands of adulthood, I understand why we often hear those messages about how adults feel about their teenage years. But when we look at the teenage experience, we start to see that it can be challenging in someone’s life. I know that all too well. So, to be able to provide a space where kids can talk about what’s great about being a teenager, but also be realistic about the everyday challenges that are heavy – mistakes they’ve made, people that have treated them poorly, the family systems they were born into, the labels that have been placed on them. We get to unpack all of that and then learn some ways to live in their truth in a way that is respectful to themselves and others.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey from where I started and where I am now has had a lot of great experiences, and it’s also had a lot of difficulties. I grew up in poverty, but my family worked hard to provide for me and my siblings. My mom is an amazing testament to resiliency. Raising us couldn’t have been easy, and she made a lot of sacrifices to push our family forward. Throughout my own life, I have had experiences that could have led me to a completely different path than what I am on now. I’ve even taken steps down those other paths, but I am grateful that through each of those experiences, I eventually found my way back to this path I truly feel I belong. As an adolescent, I can name a few adults that influenced my resiliency and gave me the courage to take control over the outcome of my life. The exciting thing about the adults that stand out to me is that they weren’t the adults that told me what I needed to do, were strict, or “set me straight.” They empathized with my experience, listened without trying to fix my issues, got to know who I was as a person, and talked about my interests with me. They showed me they cared for me, not only when I performed well but also when making poor decisions. They set firm boundaries with me and communicated openly and non-judgmentally. I didn’t fear them but was motivated to make them proud because I knew they believed in me. That impacted my life and carried me through my adolescence until I could stand on my own. I carry that with me in this work, and from experience and reading the research, I know the importance of that kind of adult support in a child’s life. One of my purposes in life is to give that gift I received to others and empower them to step into their power and purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the Program Director for S.O.A.R. SOAR, an acronym for ‘Student’s Learning the Ongoing Approaches to Resiliency.’ We are a youth development program that aims to empower youth to overcome adversity by developing resilient thoughts and behaviors.
We provide Psychoeducation groups for children ages 12-17 that feature education and activities critical to promoting resilient adolescents. These topics include emotional intelligence, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, impacts of violence, bullying, and empathy. The students meet with us once a week until they attend all 10 sessions.
We serve teenagers experiencing difficulty managing conflict, communicating their emotions, or making healthy choices. What teenager doesn’t struggle with that? And they come into our services in a variety of ways. School staff or social service agencies can connect their youth to our program. Sometimes parents enroll their children because they see the value in learning these concepts, considering some of the experiences they may be through. Some of the children are referred to us by the juvenile justice system because they also see the value in a teenager learning these skills to make better decisions and reduce recidivism. We also have some partnerships with schools, which allows us to bring our services directly into the school.
Our services are free of charge to the families. Finances should not hinder children from accessing services that teach essential social-emotional skills. Our groups are held at Riverbend Family Ministries, and the setting is intentionally designed to look like a living room to provide a sense of comfort. We hope this community center feels like home to those who come through.
The health of a community includes the wellness of its youth, and we envision the youth in our community having the ability to make choices that empower them toward a healthy, productive life. We have a small but incredible team passionate about pouring into youth. My teammates do an outstanding job of meeting teenagers where they are and validating their experiences while guiding them to overcome obstacles.
It has been amazing to see the growth of these individuals. Stepping into a group setting with strangers can be intimidating, but I am proud of each student who has come through our program for being vulnerable to the process. When children can talk openly about life and overcoming hardships, they begin to find comfort in not being alone in their experience and start to empower one another toward a healthy life. Sure, we use an evidence-based curriculum, but the real, impactful work comes in when the kids start to share their experiences, their decisions, and how they feel about certain things. The room starts to carry this sense of shared lived experience and understanding. This provides a sense of community, and we start seeing much empathy. We see kids stop owning the label that others have placed on them or that they’ve put on themselves and begin to do some real reflection and take ownership of their lives.
We couldn’t do this work without the support of Riverbend Family Ministries, the home and funding source of SOAR. RFM houses several non-profits and programs under one roof. It serves as a space for wrap-around services for individuals who’ve experienced trauma, primarily due to violence, addiction, poverty, and homelessness. The executive director of RFM, Tammy Iskarous, is committed to providing services for individuals of all ages and backgrounds, including at-risk youth. She has been integral to creating the SOAR program and supporting its growth!
Kenlea Herndon – Program Director
Marissa Kohlrus-Green – Program Coordinator
Nathaniel Carlson – Program Coordinator
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
Trust your gut! Understand your values, interests, and what you are good at, and get creative about integrating those into a career. When the road gets tough, lean on those who are solid supports and remind yourself of your goals. It won’t happen fast or easy, but the hard work is worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: HelpTeensSOAR.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/RiverbendFamilyMinistries/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kenlea-herndon-724b69112
