Auburn teens to take stage with Tyra

Ashley Holland and Ryan Kimler have never been on national television but that will change after next week.The Auburn residents, both 17, will leave next week for Los Angeles where they will appear on "The Tyra Banks Show" for an episode set to air at the end of November that will focus on secret activities today's teens get involved in and may hide from their parents including "pharming" and "trunking."They will be joined by Colfax High School graduate Rachel Heikila, 19, and Donna Arz and Lauren Forcella, co-founders of Teens Matter, an Auburn-area nonprofit organization dedicated to support and life skills for teens. Forcella said pharming is an activity a lot of teens do at parties."What they will do is raid their parents' medicine cabinet and take out whatever prescription pills they can find," Forcella said. "Then they throw or spread out all the pills on the floor, which they call trail mix, and take random pills."Trunking is practiced among teens who have recently been issued a provisional driver's license for one year before getting a real driver's license. During that time, they're not supposed to have other minors in the car so they will put their friends in the trunk. "There are a lot of activities teens participate in that parents have never heard of," Arz said. "The show will focus on those activities and will hopefully educate parents on things their teens may be getting involved in."Holland and Kimler first got involved with Teens Matter, because they know teens.They know what they go through, what challenges they face and what it's like today in high school. "I think this is my chance to really help kids," Kimler said. "A lot of kids may be afraid to speak out so this is their safe haven - a place they can come to be heard without judgement."Kimler first got involved in the program when he attended a focus group. After talking with teens he realized he was a good public speaker and found it was a good way to connect with his peers.Holland has been involved with the program since it began three years ago."I hope that we can really help teens," Holland said. "This is a great way for us to educate the community about what is going on with teens and hopefully it will open their eyes to certain things."According to Forcella, a staff member from the Tyra Banks Show saw her "Straight Talk for Teens" column in the El Dorado Hills Telegraph while visiting family in the area. The column started in the Auburn Journal and was picked up by the Telegraph. The weekly column continues to run in the Journal's Lifestyle section on Sundays.The representative from the show then contacted Forcella and asked if she would appear on the national television show with Banks.Forcella and Arz started Teens Matter three years ago after Colfax High School senior Brent Gabrielsen committed suicide.The two decided to start the program to help other teens who face problems including drug and alcohol abuse, parent-teen strife, teen pregnancy, depression and many others issues today's teens face today.The two hope their appearance on the show will bring awareness to the program and let teens know there is help available to them."We really want to expand our program and make these resources available to teens in other areas," Forcella said. "It's really about providing teens a safe, caring space and also the tools to figure out who they are." Kimler and Holland agree."I think it will be a great opportunity to let people know who we are," Kimler said. "I think some parents have given up on their kids and they have no one else to go to. This is a place for them to go."The Journal's Jenna Nielsen can be reached at jennan@goldcountrymedia.com.