While most kids his age are passing time in front of video games , watching anime, tweeting and Facebooking, 10th grader Avery Racine is overseeing the operations of Teen2Teen, a his very own non-profit, while balancing school work, volunteering, and participation in school sports (he’s on his school’s soccer, basketball, and lacrosse team). Teen2Teen is the youth branch of Phoenix Rising for Haiti, a volunteer non-profit group. The Arizona-based teen philanthropy mogul, who leads fellow teens in changing the lives of other teens in other countries including Haiti, took time out from his busy non-profit executive schedule to tell us about Teen2Teen Rise.

How did you come up with the idea for Teen2Teen Rise?
I came up with Teen2Teen while watching news coverage of disasters such as those in Haiti, Chile etc. I noticed a pattern of care and concern directed primarily at women and children. I understand and agree that they are the most vulnerable. However, the disconcerting part was that teens, which can also be a vulnerable group, were never mentioned. It was as if we did not exist. When my mother started her foundation and started going to Haiti we saw the same thing. She would come back full of tales of the “cute kids” but never mentioned the teens. When I asked her about the discrepancy she admitted that it was really not something that she thought of. So I decided that as a teen I needed to take action.

Have you been to Haiti?
Although my family is Haitian, I have yet to go to Haiti. My first trip is planned for June of this year. My goal for that trip is to hold a one week sports and peer counseling camp at Ile-a-Vache.

Do you have any plans and dreams for Haiti in the future?
My goal is that Haiti is fully rebuilt after the damage done by the earthquake, and that its economy becomes strong and self-sufficient. I would like to see teens finish school, go to university and be able to find jobs and stay on the island as adults and make it stronger.

Do you think that some kids your age take some things for granted?
Yes I feel that most kids my age do take many things for granted, including myself. Living in the United States, many are sheltered from the difficult things that happen around the world in places not as fortunate.

What has Teen 2 Teen Rise accomplished so far?
Teen2 teen got off to a great start. We launched the organization at a fundraiser for Phoenix Rising for Haiti and as our first project, we went to a half-way home in Phoenix AZ called Family Promise and had a fun day themed Make your Own Masterpiece. The event was the brain child of one of our youngest Regional Envoys, Cedric. Next, we went to an orphanage in Mexico and did electronics drive for the teens. It was fantastic. We had plenty of other fantastic people from our church bring clothing. But the teens were so happy to get true teens stuff such as MP3, video games etc. One of our Regional Envoys Danni Pietz is working diligently to set up a peer group in CA. The goal is to be a positive influence to teens in high risk areas. We are working on a partnership with another group in order to cover a wider area. We are also raising money for scholarships to sponsor students at some of the schools in Haiti and have many other short term and long term plans to really make a difference in the lives of teens affected by disaster and poverty.

On the road to healing: Cherylann and Len Gengel at a presentation, showing the public the plans for the Be Like Brit Orphanage. .

The earth shook in Haiti on January 12, 2010. So did the world of Cherylann Gengel and Len Gengel, a couple based in Boston, whose daughter Britney was traveling with classmates and staff of Lynn University. First, the Gengels were told that Britney had been found alive, and then there were the harrowing moments leading to their founding out that their daughter had perished during the disaster.

The Gengels cherished the last text they received from Britney in which she expressed the desire to go live in Haiti after graduation and start an orphanage there. To this end, the Gengels purchased a lot in Grand Goave Haiti (selected because this had been the next city in Haiti, she and her crew were going to visit when she died), where they have built an orphanage in her name—Be Like Brit.

The Gengels have also authored a book entitled Heartache and Hope: The Britney Gengel story (with writer Gary Brozek), which chronicles their continuous journey to healing. All proceeds from the book will benefit the orphanage. Mrs. Gengel discussed the orphanage, and of course the young woman who will always be the apple of her eyes, Britney.

Q & A

Do you remember exactly where you were, when you heard about the earthquake in Haiti in 2010?
Yes, I was in my kitchen starting to cook dinner.

Sometimes when people experience the depth of pain and sorrow that you experienced with Britney’s death in Haiti, they tend to have animosity towards the place they associate with their pain and trauma. Such was not the case with you.
How Britney died was no one’s fault-it was an earthquake. I have a very strong faith and I know that she is with God and in a much better place. To know that she is not suffering at all and knowing that we will be together one day makes it a bit easier.

Many people lost loved ones in the earthquake. The grieving is non-stop. The pain—immeasurable. What has especially helped you and your family cope with the loss of Britney?
I have been blessed with so much support, especially from our family, our friends and from thousands of total strangers. My two sons, Bernie & Richie are my main concern and they are my motivator to keep on going!

Britney Gengel posing with schoolchildren in Haiti.

You’re involved with the orphanage built in Britney’s name.
I have been working with our Programming Committee. We have been deciding on what will happen inside the building once it was complete. How the children will be raised, discipline, etc. I have also been working on the fundraising for BLB and I do the bookkeeping for BLB.

What was the writing process like for the book? It’s co-authored by you and your husband. Was it written at intervals?
Gary interviewed us by phone for over 60 hours. We did it in many sessions. At times it was too painful to sit keep going, we needed to take a break. Most of the discussions were taken two years ago, but we just went to Colorado this summer and spent some time with to finish the book.

A view of the early construction of Be Like Brit Orphanage in Grand Goave. The orphanage houses 33 kids.

What message would you like to send out to other mothers who find themselves losing a loved one in a natural disaster or in other unexpected circumstances?
I will not tell another mother how she should feel or what will happen or what she can expect. It is all so individual—no right or wrong way to go through this. I have been with many moms that have lost children in different ways and they all have different ways of handling it and they are all in different places in the grieving process. I wish I could say, “Read this book and go through stages 1-10 and at the end you’ll be done grieving”. Just doesn’t happen that way!

To everyone who knew Britney, she was a joy to be around. What do you especially miss about her?
I honestly miss everything about her! I miss her laughing and telling stories about her friends; I miss her messy bedroom; I miss watching her walk down the hallway to her bedroom; I miss her sitting next to me and putting her head on my shoulder…just everything.

Photo Credit: John Gilooly (Gengel couple photo)