Tragedy often causes people to turn to faith and religion in an attempt to ease suffering and find peace. "Religion is a vehicle for those moments in life where the sense of helplessness overcomes you," said Santa Fean Kari Smith, 34. "I'm a spiritual person that doesn't practice religion."

When Smith was a teenager growing up in Salt Lake City, she recalls feeling as though she was among "brainwashed" teens who couldn't think for themselves when it came to spirituality. She has noticed that the relationship between teens and religious or spiritual belief differs greatly with generations and locales.

"In Santa Fe, self-thought is more encouraged," Smith said.

Many teenagers simply follow the religion in which they were raised, or one that they find cool.

"Some (teens) believe what their parents raised them to believe," explained Mark Rael, 15, a student at the Academy for Technology and the Classics. "At any rate, true belief in any religion is rare in teenagers."

A July Generation Next survey of about 80 Santa Fe teens showed that around 75 percent of those surveyed believed in some form of Catholicism. Another 15 percent said that they didn't associate themselves with any religion, while another 6 percent claimed Judaism as their faith of choice. The remaining 4 percent accepted different choices — some said they believe in the teachings of several religions, others stated they believe in obscure or uncommon religions.

The majority of Santa Fe teens who regularly practice a religion are often motivated by parents or guardians of the same denomination. David Johnson, 18, is one of them.

"I've never trusted much religion in my life, because it was forced upon me by my parents," Johnson said.

Daniel Purcell, currently applying to become a youth minister at Rodeo Road Baptist Church, says, "I would say about 5 percent of Santa Fe teens are involved in religious activity." Purcell is also an active member in the youth group program in his church. He believes tragedy is "what God uses to bring people closer to him.

"Being able to talk to get it off of the conscience will help in the healing process," Purcell said. "Holding it in will only make it worse."

Seeking out the help and guidance of a counselor is one of the coping methods suggested for grieving teens by Purcell. His wife and fellow youth-group coach, Rachael Purcell, agrees 100 percent.

She believes "positive role models who have been through good times and bad times" can help mend the deepest wounds.

Gil Fronsdal, a Bay Area Buddhist, says, "in the face of (great) tragedy, we are called upon to recognize our own fear. Fear ignored produces more fear."

Grace Selig, a 13-year-old attending Monte del Sol Charter School, has been hit hard dealing with the grief brought on by the death of friends and acquaintances in the fatal wrong-way crash that killed four teens in June.

"I was shocked by it," Selig said. She participates with the Baptist Church youth group and finds that it helps to have a place of support. She says, "Some people don't know how to deal with the stress (of tragedy)."

Johnson also knew four teens in that crash and has witnessed firsthand its impact on him and other Santa Fe teens. "It was a big deal for a lot of us," Johnson said.

He believes some teens have turned to religion for help, but thinks the best medicine is "just to be around friends and family that will support you."

Selig agrees that Santa Fe youth should turn to "friends, because they're all going through the same thing," and that basically "they need each other."



Jahla Seppanen is a senior at Monte del Sol; you can reach her at jnm747@hotmail.com. Vaughn Fortier-Shultz is a sophomore at Academy for Technology and the Classics; you can reach him at moosemanxl@gmail.com.