BY KAREN BOSSICK

What advice would you give to your 12-year-old self?

Find out what many of the Wood River Valley’s youngsters have written to themselves when The Advocates’ teen interns stage their fifth annual open house.

The open house, which they’ve themed “What is Love?” will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 10, in the Silver Creek conference room at the Limelight Hotel in Ketchum. Open to the public, it will include opportunities to view art, read the concerns and hopes of valley youth, listen to music and enjoy refreshments.

There also will be students on hand from local teen groups like Nosotros United and the Bluebirds, a group advancing mental wellness, to discuss what they’re doing to better the community.

“This is my third year of doing this and it’s always cool to see everything everyone comes up with,” said Community School senior Grace Hoffman, who has been serving as an intern with The Advocates’ ETCs (Every Teen has a Choice).

The Advocates’ teen interns stage the event every year to promote healthy relationships.

“We wanted to do it in conjunction with National Teen Dating Violence Awareness month in February, but we had to push it into March this year,” said Hoffman.

The interns asked fellow students to create art describing “What is Love?” Students from Wood River High School, Sage School, Silver Creek and Community School responded with poetry, paintings and ceramics.

This year’s display also includes “Letters to Myself,” in which high school students write relationship advice to their middle school selves, said Heidi Cook, an educational consultant with The Advocates.

“One teen said, ‘Don’t be afraid to be yourself.’ Another said, ‘Don’t put up with someone treating you badly. You deserve better than that,’” recounted Hoffman.

The interns will speak at 4:45 p.m., after which they will show a video in which they asked students and adults ranging in age from 5 to 85 “What is Love?”

“Kindergarteners said things like, ‘Love is when I pet my dog,’ or ‘Love is when my mom kisses me good night,’” said Hoffman. It’s nice to see the wide range of responses we got.”

The Advocates will also launch its new Green Dot 2018 campaign during the evening. The campaign, which has an all new look, encourages those in the community to have one another’s backs to prevent and stop bullying, partner violence, sexual assault and harassment.

Betty Rodger-Ervine, an art teacher at Wood River High School, has involved her students in the event for the past three years.

“It offers them a venue to share their voices with peers and the community, reflecting and defining elements that create healthy relationships,” she said.