Teenager , I am a bit past my teens (I’m in early 20’s) but I still have associations with many teens and I know that what you are saying is very true there are many of todays “BY” type of girls and “yeshiva” boys doing detrimental things which have previoulsy been unfathomable ..I beleive the reason they are doing all these things is because they have a void they need to fill –if it ain’t going to be filled w/ spirituality and closeness to G-d then its gonna be filled with all the garbage out there which the teens are craving ..so how to solve it ?
We gotta show the beauty of our Heritage ,weve been persecuted, exhiled , opressed & pained but Am Yisrael will 4ever remain !! We are unique we have a special closeness with G-d and He wants us to enjoy life & to experience the greatest pleasure of life -which is connecting & coming close to our Creator .
When I was in high school I never thought about any of these spiritual things like why we’re here what our purpose is..but with time and going through challenges in life & attending great inspring shiurim I feel I have grown tremendously in my spirituality & guess what I feel so content , seriously its a great feeling -I am satisfied with who I am & what I do I dont feel I need to look 4 entertainment (TV/movies) which I used to do back in high school.
This is what we must do for our teens expose them to people who had challenges in their lives & overcame them & used those challenges to grow & become closer to Hashem & Judaism.
As for you idea of co-ed hangouts, sorry hon thats not gonna work –why cant girls have fun with girls and guys w/ guys separately?? you don’t want to create platonic relationships it just makes things harder 4 shidduchim and later married life , you dont wanna stand under your chuppa thinking about all the things you did with your boyfriends or “friends who happen to be boys “
Hatzlacha in your endeavors to try to fix this sitch , I’d love to help let me know what I can do I would be a mentor or something …