Our list of teen links is a selectively curated list of quality outside resources of interest to teens for entertainment and reference.
Subjects (Click to jump to section):
Basic Car Maintenance Schedule - a thorough and easy-to-read list for any car owner.
Dictionary of Cooking Terms - a list of words commonly used in recipes and their definitions from Good Housekeeping.
RMV Testing Site - a partnership with the Ventress Memorial Library and RMV; click on ‘car tests’ at the top of the page to access free online tests.
Teen Voter Registration - the official voter registration website for Massachusetts.
ACCSC Directory - directory of accredited vocational programs across the U.S.
AIE - a public service website developed to help students plan and complete their journey through higher education.
Best Colleges - hundreds of independent college rankings.
Big Future - a college search tool from College Board.
College Navigator - database with up-to-date info from cost, to majors, to enrollment and more from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Common Application - a non-profit membership organization of nearly 900 institutions of higher education that connects college applicants to public and private colleges and universities across the U.S. and abroad.
Real Work Matters - a resource hub for students who are interested in vocational, trade or technical training.
College Scholarships - a super awesome list of so many different college scholarships.
FAFSA - the Free Application for Financial Student Aid official website.
FastWeb Scholarships - comprehensive database of current college scholarship opportunities.
Federal Student Aid Blog - reliable tips and information in short, accessible blog posts.
Scholarship Search - a database of scholarships and more from the College Board.
Unigo Scholarship Database - a database of scholarships of all kinds as well as other resources.
SAT - learn more about the test, take practice tests, and sign up for the actual test from College Board.
Khan Academy - free practice SAT tests and strategies.
ACT - learn more about and sign up for the ACT on the official website.
Union Test Prep - a free ACT practice exam that you can take multiple times - simply click the "start" button under one of the four practice tests: English, Mathematics, Reading, or Science.
Anti-Violence Project - 212-714-1141 - an English & Spanish, 24-hour, 365-day-a-year crisis intervention hotline staffed by trained volunteers and professional advocates, offering support to LGBTQ & HIV-affected survivors of any type of violence.
Crisis Hotlines - a list of multiple hotlines that serve as resources for anyone who is experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, or crisis intervention.
Crisis Textline - text HOME to 741741 - will connect you to a trained crisis counselor who will help you move through whatever stress you’re facing until you’ve both decided you’re in a calmer headspace.
Love Is Respect - 866-331-9474 - or text or chat to talk to trained peer advocates are available 24/7/365 to offer education, support and advocacy to teens and young adults, as well as their concerned friends and family members, who have questions or concerns about their dating relationships.
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 800-656-HOPE (4673) - trained staff provide confidential support and connect you to resources in your area via phone or live chat.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 800-273-8255 - provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, and prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
Safe Horizon - 800-621-HOPE (4673) - based in New York City, Safe Horizon's mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities.
Trans Lifeline - 877-565-8860 - a grassroots hotline offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis - for the trans community, by the trans community.
Girls Health - a website run by the Office on Women's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Go Ask Alice - supported by a team of Columbia University health promotion specialists, this website aims to provide reliable, accurate, accessible, and culturally competent health information for teens on a wide variety of topics.
MyPlate - basic nutrition information for teens from the USDA.
National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens - a comprehensive, federally-funded source for science-based information on teen drug abuse and its effects.
SafeTeens - a thorough and comprehensive database of all health topics pertaining to teens, SafeTeens is a project of Maternal and Family Health Services Inc, a private non-profit health organization in Pennsylvania that works to meet the health and nutrition needs of women, children and families.
Teen Health FX - a thorough resource of health questions by teens answered by experts at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey.
Teen Health and Wellness - provides teens with “up-to-date, nonjudgmental, straightforward curricular, and self-help support” on a wide array of health subjects specifically geared towards high school students.
Teen Help - a general resource covering a variety of general health topics for teens going through common adolescent development issues.
Young Men’s Health - a website developed by the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital in order to provide carefully researched health information to teenage boys and young men.
Young Women’s Health - a partnership between the Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine and the Division of Gynecology at Boston Children’s Hospital and is committed to providing teen girls and young women with carefully researched health information.
BAGLY - the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, a youth-led, adult-supported social support organization, committed to social justice and creating, sustaining, and advocating for programs, policies, and services for the LGBTQ+ youth community.
SHAAGLY - the facebook page for the South Shore BAGLY branch - currently meeting virtually every week.
LGBT National Help Center - a discreet, thorough and authoritative source of information and links to peer groups and other support lines.
LGBT Resources Map - a map of local LGBT groups from the Massachusetts Commission on LGBT Youth.
Transgender Health - online resources and gender-affirming, high quality, patient-centered care from Fenway Health in Boston.
Trevorspace.org - an affirming online community for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24.
Depression Forums - a depression peer to peer mental Health social community support group with a wide range of discussion forums and blog articles.
Getting Started with Mindfulness - a basic overview of mindfulness and its purpose as well as tips and short, recorded guided meditations.
Hope Floats - this healing and wellness center hosts support group sessions, called ‘Mike’s Club’ for teens grieving sibling loss or the loss of a parent/caregiver. Support group sessions take place in Kingston and registration information is provided on the website.
Medline Plus: Self Harm - a database of teen self harm prevention resources from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Medline Plus: Teen Mental Health - a database of teen mental health resources from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
National Alliance on Mental Health and Illness - resources for teens and young adults.
OK 2 Talk - a community where teens and young adults struggling with mental health conditions can find a safe place to talk about what they’re experiencing from the National Alliance on Mental Health and Illness.
The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know - a short, 2 page infographic on teen brain health and development from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Teen Mental Health - high quality, clearly explained mental health information for teens.
Your Life, Your Voice - a comprehensive collection of articles and resources from Boys Town.
Scarleteen - provides inclusive and comprehensive information on sex, sexual health, and relationships for teens. This site also features a chat service and message board where volunteers can answer your questions privately.
Sex, etc. - includes accurate sexual health and relationship information written by teens and volunteers for teens, a state-by-state guide on teens sexual health rights, sex health videos, and a glossary of over 400 sexual terms.
Building your Credit Score - explains what credit and a credit score are, how to build your credit, and why it’s important to create and maintain good credit for your future.
Consumer.gov Playlist - a playlist of YouTube videos that are less than 2 minutes long; tips on saving money, having a credit card, and more.
Making a Budget - practical tips on how to make your own budget, monitor your expenses, keep track of various bills through a free budget worksheet you can download.
Mint.com - an all-in-one finance tracker; use the website or the app.
Wallethub.com - an all-in-one finance tracker; use the website or the app.
Expert Tips for Answering Common Interview Questions - short video playlist from LinkedIn Learning.
Jobs for Teens HQ - connects teens to local teen jobs, resume writing tips, job fair information, interviewing best practices, work permit info, volunteering opportunities, labor laws, and other information.
My Next Move - an interactive tool for job seekers and students to learn more about different career options with current data and links to real job openings.
Reach Hire MA - developed by the University of Massachusetts Medical School with the mission to to support young adults inspired to work, learn, and train, who pursue financial independence as a path to a meaningful life.
Resume Builder - an easy-to-use tool from LiveCareer.com that offers a variety of visually appealing layouts and easy-to-insert information tools.
Resume Writing for Teens - offers free resume templates for teens in high school and provides the vocabulary you’ll need to promote your skill sets even if you don’t have much formal work experience.
Teen Resume Guide - a thorough guide with plenty of examples from the City of Boston.
Working as a Minor - explains the child labor laws of Massachusetts and will help you apply for a work permit.
Girls' Life Magazine - founded in August 1994, GL is dedicated to informing, inspiring and entertaining girls around the globe.
Seventeen Magazine - now exclusively online, this longstanding teen publication has the latest on cute hairstyles, celeb news, fun quizzes, beauty advice, teen fashion, and more.
Teen Ink Magazine - a national teen magazine devoted entirely to writing, art, and photos by people aged 13-19 since 1989. Teen Ink is devoted to helping teens share their own voices, while developing reading, writing, creative and critical-thinking skills.
Teen Graffiti - a project of Teens Reaching Teens, this site shares teen writings, achievements, concerns, and opinions published in their print magazine.
The Teen Magazine - founded in 2017, The Teen Magazine started as a blog with a few writers. Since then, it has grown into an international online magazine with over 250 writers from around the world.
Teen Vogue Magazine - now exclusively online, the “young person’s guide to conquering (and saving) the world,” Teen Vogue provides resources for teens looking to make a tangible impact in their communities and covers the latest in celebrity news, politics, fashion, beauty, wellness, lifestyle, and entertainment.
YC Teen - founded in 1980, this magazine is by New York City teens who write stories about their experiences and issues that matter in their lives.
Youth Voices - a news blog created by young people from around the globe. Contributors aged 15-29 exchange perspectives on events happening in their country or community or issues that affect young people around the world, such as poverty or climate change.
Checklist: Protect Your Space on Instagram - a resource from The Trevor Project on how to maintain privacy and positive vibes on your Instagram and other social media outlets.
Checklist: Responding to Cyberbullying - 10 simple steps from Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D. and Justin W. Patchin, Ph.D.
Fake News, Propaganda, and Bad information - collection of explanations, definitions, and resources from Cornell University.
Media Bias Chart - a static image mapping how popular news media sources scew in terms of news reporting versus opinion content, as well as along the political spectrum.
Media Bias Chart - Interactive a this interactive map allows you to search for five individual news sources per day and narrow results by content and political spectrum.
Student Resources for Understanding Fake News - primer on fake news and information literacy with engaging videos and links to university librarian-selected articles.
Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Critical Thinking - a list of questions to ask about information you find online (and in print!) by the Global Digital Citizen Foundation.
Digital Citizenship - a YouTube playlist of original videos from CommonSense Media that feature teen voices and opinions on the internet and social media.
Digital Literacy - Ventress Library’s own carefully curated YouTube playlist of short and engaging videos on internet use, privacy, fake news, and more.
Navigating Digital Information - a Crash Course series YouTube playlist.
Cyberbullying Research Center Blog - facts, figures, and detailed stories from those who have been directly impacted by online aggression, as well as resources to help teens prevent and respond to cyberbullying incidents.
News Literacy Project - a national education nonprofit offering nonpartisan programs that teach students how to know what to trust in the digital age.
Snopes - the oldest and largest fact-checking site online, widely regarded as an invaluable research companion.
Beach Safety Tips and More - resources from the National Weather Service.
Clean Beaches - 6 ways to ensure responsible use of beaches on the South Shore from Mass.gov.
Mass Audubon Sanctuaries in Marshfield - beautiful, local trails, outdoor education, and more.
Swimming Safely at the Beach - resources and information from the American Red Cross.
Teen Trail Crews - opportunities to volunteer outside with the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Book Riot - book recommendations, lists, quizzes, and more!
Epic Reads - community of YA book lovers, with blog posts, videos, exclusive author interviews, and more!
